JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s government on Sunday granted a pro\u002Dsettlement firebrand authority over planning in the occupied West Bank and lifted red tape on the…
The changes make it easier for Israel to expand its settlements on land the Palestinians seek as the heartland of their future state, at a time when hopes for peace are more distant than ever.Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Calgary Herald, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
The government gave Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich control over planning in West Bank settlements, a condition he had made to join the government. The authority over planning in the territory, which is under a 56-year military occupation, is traditionally the purview of the country’s defense minister. Smotrich is also a minister within the Defense Ministry.
A senior Israeli government official said the move will cut red tape and make planning approvals “an effective two-step process.” Israel’s Peace Now anti-settlement watchdog group criticized the decision for “disregarding security and political considerations and perpetuating de facto annexation in the West Bank.” The change comes as an Israeli planning committee said it was planning to bring for approval some 4,500 West Bank housing units when it meets next week.
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