The Israeli daily Ha'aretz [2] reports Jan. 1 that construction in West Bank settlements is "booming" despite the freeze that was officially declared Nov. 26. "Haaretz toured the area on Wednesday and witnessed work being carried out in the Barkan and Ariel industrial zones, as well as the construction of housing at Ariel, Elkana North, Peduel and Kfar Tapuah. A sign at Kfar Tapuah announced plans for the construction of 65 new housing units. Israel patrols were evident, but not inspectors of the Civil Administration enforcing the construction ban."
At all of these sites, Ha'aretz reports "evidence of heavy equipment preparing the ground for construction or for the creation of suitable infrastructure." The paper also cites recent research by the Israeli human rights group Yesh Din [3] and the anti-occupation Peace Now [4] that "construction is being carried out in more than 50 settlements and in two other industrial zones—Mevo Huron and Gush Etzion."
See our last posts on Israel/Palestine [5] and the West Bank [6].
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