The daily Haaretz reports that the IDF Civil Administration has given the green light for constructing hundreds of new homes throughout Yehuda and Shomron as well as areas of Yerushalayim viewed as “occupied” by the international community.

For example, it reports that 54 homes were approved in Har Bracha, 17 in Revavah, and 48 in Ganei Binyamin.

Yossi Dagan, head of the Shomron Regional Council and Davidi Perl, head of the Gush Etzion Regional Council both responded, stating “if only this report was accurate”.

It is explained that the government appears to simply be lifting the construction freeze in some areas on homes that should have been built a long time ago, homes that were approved but the projects frozen by PM Netanyahu.

The following official statement in response to the report was released by the Prime Minister’s Office.

“Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon have not approved new construction as has been published.

“Almost all of the permits are for upgrading existing structures. The small proportion of them pertaining to new construction are for the community of Ganei Modi’in, which abuts the fence and which will be part of Israel in any future agreement”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)