The Israeli Housing Ministry published tenders for the construction of 1,000 new housing units in various Israeli settlements in the West Bank on Tuesday, Israeli sources confirmed.
The tenders include 604 houses in the settlement of Betar Ilit, 214 in Ariel, 141 in Ma'aleh Adumim, and 42 in Karnei Shomron. The settlements are considered the biggest in the West Bank.
The Israeli settlement of Betar Ilit is situated between three Palestinian villages, Husan, Wadi Fukin and Nahhalin, located in the Western part of Bethlehem. Betar Ilit is one of the most rapidly expanding colonies in the occupied territories and has a population of 24,000 and 4,700 households. According to Israeli estimates, Betar Ilit will reach a projected population of 100,000 settlers.
Ariel is another Israeli settlement located in Salfeet district near Nablus and is inhabited by 15,000 settlers, where a major part of the annexation wall is being constructed as well.
Ma’aleh Adumim, where 141 new housing units are to be built, is the biggest settlement in the West Bank, located on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Ma’aleh Adumim was built in 1975 on lands confiscated from the Palestinian villages of Abu Dis, Al Izriyyeh, Al Issawiyyeh, Al Tur and Anata.
However, the story doesn’t end here: new roads are being built to link this illegal settlement to the heart of the Jerusalem, reassuring an Israeli geographical dominance over greater Jerusalem.
Lastly, Karnei Shomron, another illegal settlement built near Jerusalem, isn’t exactly new to the Israeli government’s constant tenders. In October 2003, the U.S. government widely condemned another Israeli decision to issue tenders for 153 housing units in this settlement, describing it as “provocation.”
This time round, Sharon has ordered a number of tenders to be reexamined after the American request for clarification. Therefore, the tenders launched on Tuesday did not include 156 proposed units in Kiryat Arba located in the Palestinian city of Hebron, and 132 in Geva Binyamin, near Jerusalem.
This latest development was widely criticized, mainly by the Israeli Labor party, which demanded that these tenders be revoked.
The NGO Peace Now also denounced the tenders, in a statement that said “the boss has gone mad. Sharon has decided to scoff at his government's promise to freeze construction in settlements. Rather than disengagement, he is carrying out massive occupation in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank]."
This plan surprised the Americans as well, who demanded an immediate explanation. U.S. Embassy spokesman in Israel Paul Patin said Israel was obligated to fulfill its road map commitments.
"Israel has accepted the road map and all its stipulations and we expect it to abide by them," he confirmed.
Also Nabil Abu Rdeneh, an adviser to Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, denounced the decision and asked the international community to take an opposing stand to end Israeli illegal measures.
