Israel plans to build hundreds of West Bank homes

Israel announced plans today to construct hundreds of new housing units in Jewish settlements in the West Bank, a violation of the road map peace plan.

The road map calls for a complete freeze in settlement construction, but Israel says it will continue to build to accommodate what it calls natural growth.

The construction of new homes in the West Bank settlements has angered Palestinians, who accuse Israel of trying to grab land they want for a future state.

The Israeli government published tenders today for the construction of 565 publicly built housing units in three West Bank settlements.

“This is a new wave of building,” said Yariv Oppenheimer of Peace Now, a group that monitors settlement activity. According to Oppenheimer, the government has issued tenders for 1,394 new housing units in the West Bank and Gaza Strip since the start of the year.

The housing ministry said in an statement it was acting ”according to the government’s policy to promote and develop communities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip according to their needs and natural growth.”