Israeli authorities have postponed a meeting due to be held on Wednesday to approve the construction of more than 3,000 new settlement units in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, Israeli media reported.
According to the Israel Hayom news site, the Israeli Planning, Organization, and Construction Council postponed its meeting following US pressure on the Israeli government related to the settlement expansion project.
In First in #Biden Era, #Israel Invites Bids for Building 1,355 New #Settlement Units https://t.co/7SZWJtGbga via @PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/8mlfhSirxD
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) October 26, 2021
On Tuesday, the Biden administration sent a written protest to the office of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett over the decision to authorize the construction of 3,000 new settlement units in the West Bank settlements.
According to the American news website Axios, the letter followed a statement by the US State Department that expressed “deep concern” over the decision, adding that plans to approve currently unrecognized outposts are “unacceptable”.
"The top U.S. diplomat in Jerusalem, Michael Ratney, called Bennett’s foreign policy adviser Shimrit Meir to complain about the move, in a call the sources described as 'difficult'" https://t.co/zq9lxVQ6F0
— Jacob Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) October 26, 2021
According to Axios, after the occupation state approved 1,300 settlement units last week, the US Embassy’s Charge d’Affaires, Michael Ratney, phoned Bennett’s diplomatic adviser Shimrit Meir to say the administration views Israel’s advancement of new settlement units severely.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
