Israel’s security cabinet approved on Tuesday the construction permits for 715 housing units in Palestinians towns, as well as 6,000 new housing units for Jewish settlers in Area C of the occupied West Bank.
The decision is the first of its kind since 2016. It comes a few hours ahead of an expected visit to Israel on Wednesday by Jared Kushner, the senior adviser of the United States President Donald Trump, to discuss Trump’s plan for an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord.
The Israeli authorities did not clarify whether the plans are for the construction of new units or the legalisation of existing structures built without permits.
Based on the Oslo Accords, area C covers parts of the West Bank under full Israeli security and administrative control, where most of its West Bank settlements are concentrated.
Last week, Israeli forces demolished a number of Palestinian houses in the city of Jerusalem, claiming that those houses were built without permits.
On Wednesday morning, Israel’s army arrested 14 Palestinians in the West Bank, accusing them of participating in aggressive activities against Israel.
Meanwhile, the Israel Police Foreign Press spokesperson, Micky Rosenfeld, denied the news about summoning a Palestinian child by the Israeli police.
Rosenfeld said that a Palestinian father who was called in for questioning by Israeli police brought his 4-year-old son with him and “claimed that his son was the one summoned for questioning in order to create a media storm.”
