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Palestinians fear a surge in settlement projects in Jerusalem and the West Bank amid a fierce electoral demonstration among right-wing Israeli leaders.
The Palestine Liberation Organization’s National Office for the Defense of the Land has revealed in its report on Saturday that 2020 was the hardest year for Palestinians in terms of settlement activity and terrorist practices by settlers.
He also highlighted that settlement activities in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, doubled during the term of US President Donald Trump, compared to the term of Barack Obama.
During the first three years of Trump’s term, the Netanyahu government approved the construction of around 7,000 residential units a year; however, the Obama term only saw approval to build 3,600 residential units.
The report also warned about the Knesset bill, which passed preliminary reading, and would legalize dozens of settlements. Israel’s High Council for Planning and Construction approved the construction of 6,500 settlement units in the West Bank, the report added, while the Jerusalem Municipality approved the construction of 8,600 settlement units.
Despite the political crisis in Israel, the settlement expansion project did not stop.
In this regard, the Ministry of Settlement Affairs published on Thursday criteria for the West Bank regional councils to request financial support to purchase drones and establish and operate patrol units that will monitor Palestinian construction in Area C of the West Bank, which is under full Israeli control. control.
According to the guidelines, city councils will receive funds to pay the salaries of field inspectors, purchase vehicles, drones and electronic monitoring equipment, as well as for fences and aerial photography.
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