JERUSALEM, March 21: Israel vowed on Monday to expand its largest Jewish settlements in the West Bank despite Palestinian fury, as a process began to hand over security control to Palestinian forces in the Tulkarem area. A high-ranking official said Israel would “continue to build homes, administrative offices and industrial areas” in Maale Adumim, Gush Etzion and Ariel, less than two weeks after a report slammed the authorities for helping to build unauthorised settler outposts.

His comments came a day after the defence ministry approved the construction of over 3,500 new homes in Maale Adumim, which has 28,000 residents. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said the decision “sabotages all efforts seeking to get the peace process back on track”.

Maaleh Adumim, five kilometres east of Jerusalem, is the most populous Jewish settlement in the West Bank.

HANDOVER: In the north of the territory, Israeli forces were to begin a symbolic transfer of security control to the Palestinian Authority in Tulkarem after agreeing on the scope of the handover at a third round of talks in 24 hours.

“The security transfer will take place on Monday evening,” said an Israeli military spokesman. The Palestinian security chief in Tulkarem, Said Abu Fashi, said that Palestinian police would begin to deploy in the town from Monday evening. —AFP