JERUSALEM: Israel approved nearly 1,800 settler homes in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, the country’s right-wing defence minister announced, four days before a general election.

The ministry said a planning committee “approved the construction of 1,800 housing units, according to the proposal of Defence Minister Naftali Bennett”, in a statement that quoted figures adding up to slightly below this amount.

“We don’t wait, we act. We will not give an inch of the land of Israel to the Arabs, but for that, we must build there,” the statement quoted Bennett as saying.

Anti-settlement NGO Peace Now said a total of 1,739 homes were earmarked, 92 percent of which were deep inside the West Bank.

It said 1,036 were approved through a first major stage, while 703 went through a final major hurdle.

Separately a new industrial park was approved for construction near Qalqilya in the West Bank, Peace Now said.

The announcement was praised by the Yesha council, which represents settlers throughout the West Bank.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2020