Israeli government on Tuesday announced a plan to build 650 new housing units in Beit El settlement near the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Hebrew-language daily Israel Hayom reported that the new units are meant to compensate Jewish settlers evacuated earlier from other illegal settlement outposts elsewhere in the West Bank.
The newspaper said that the plan presented by Beit El settlement council was approved last week and the construction is expected to start soon.
The new settlement units will help increase settler population in the area by 65% according to the Hebrew paper.
Shay Alon head of Beit El council said in a statement “This is a true message of hope for the residents of Beit El. Thanks to our stubborn struggle the council will grow in the near future by hundreds of housing units and thousands of new residents.”
