Israel announces hundreds of new housing units in Judea and Samaria

Israel’s Ministry of Housing published tenders for hundreds of new housing units in communities across Judea and Samaria.

By World Israel News Staff

Israel’s Ministry of Housing published on Thursday new tenders for the construction of hundreds of housing units in communities across Judea and Samaria, the Israeli daily, Ma’ariv reports.

The Israel Lands Authority and the Ministry of Housing published tenders for the construction of housing units in Adam (62); Alfei Menashe (112) and Oranit (111), according to the Israeli daily.

Several Samarian communities are also slated for new construction, with Ariel growing by 195 units, Immanuel by 50 and Ma’ale Ephraim, 44. Beitar Illit  in Gush Etzion will increase by 14 units.

Prime Minister Netanyahu had announced the Ariel housing units last month, just a day after the double terror attack at the Ariel Junction that claimed the lives of First Sgt. Gal Qeidan and Rabbi Ahiad Ettinger.

“These terrorists will not uproot us from here – the exact opposite will happen,” he vowed. “Tomorrow, we’ll begin construction on some 840 units in a new neighborhood, one that I approved two years ago.”

Echoing a well-known biblical passage, Netanyahu said, “Our answer is simple: the more they afflict us, the more we will increase (in numbers) and the more we will spread.”

Ma’ariv reports that the end of 2018 saw a record number of published tenders, with 621 housing units announced for Beitar Illit, Ofarim, Ma’ale Adumim and Karnei Shomron.  Commercial tenders published include plans for hotels in Ma’ale Adumim, and construction of business units in Beitar Illit, Oranit and Immanuel.

According to Ma’ariv, the recent moves reflects a trend towards greater development of Judea and Samaria: A record number of 3,788 housing tenders have been announced since the start of 2018, a marked increase over the number of 3,154 in 2017.