Israel Vows to ‘Push Ahead’ With Settlement Plans

First Construction Could Take 'Several Months'

Israeli government and military agencies are reiterating plans to continue with the announced settlement expansions into the E-1 region, a plan for 3,200 homes that will effectively bisect the West Bank.

The Civil Administration planning committee confirmed that it has approved the settlements, but says they will have to go through several stages before building actually begins, including a period of public comment.

“For two months the public will be able to submit objections to the project and after that the debate on continuing it will continue,” the committee’s statement noted. Some of the plans are already in place, dating back to 2005, according to officials.

Beyond the two month period of public comment, there is also the matter of expelling the 2,000+ Bedouins already living in E-1 from the region to be settled. Officials say the whole process could take “several months” or even more than a year.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.