Israel approves largest Judea and Samaria construction surge during Trump era

In the wake of Netanyahu’s campaign pledge to extend sovereignty over Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, the Defense Ministry revealed it had approved plans for over 3,600 new housing units in those areas.

By World Israel News Staff

The Israeli Defense Ministry’s Civil Administration High Planning Subcommittee, which authorizes construction in Judea and Samaria, advanced plans for 3,659 homes according to a statement issued by a government official on Sunday, reported Times of Israel.

As part of the decision, 1,226 homes were reportedly cleared with final approval for construction even before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he plans to extend Israeli sovereignty to all Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria if he succeeds in elections scheduled to take place this week.

The balance of the homes cleared the “deposit” stage, an earlier planning phase in the approval process.

With a total of 3,659 homes advancing, this batch of approvals represents the largest group of homes advancing toward construction since Donald Trump took office.

Among the communities in which new housing units were approved are Shilo, Peduel, Mitzpe Jericho, Elon Moreh, and Rehelim.

Construction projects in Etz Efrayim, Givat Ze’ev, Karnei Shomron, Beitar Illit and Ma’ale Adumim received final approval for construction.

Haresha also received the green-light for 720 new homes, eliminating uncertainty regarding the town’s status more than  20 years after the first families started the community. While Haresha’s growth had been thwarted by claims that its access road traversed private Palestinian land, a legal opinion issued by Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit in November 2017 authorized the community’s presence.

Last week, Netanyahu told Channel 12, “I am going to apply Israeli sovereignty [to communities in Judea and Samaria],” adding “each [community] is Israeli.”