In a discussion that took place on Thursday evening, with the participation of the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense, the Minister of Finance and the Minister in the Ministry of Defense, and the Minister for Strategic Affairs, it was decided to convene the Supreme Planning Council in the Civil Administration to approve thousands of housing units in Judea and Samaria in response to the shooting attack near Maaleh Adumim.
About 2,350 units in Maaleh Adumim, 694 units in Efrat and about 300 units in Kedar will be brought to the Supreme Planning Council for approval.
Minister of Finance and Minister in the Ministry of Defense Bezalel Smotrich said, “Let every terrorist plotting to harm us know that any raising of a hand against the citizens of Israel will be met with a blow of death and destruction and the deepening of our eternal grip on the entire Land of Israel.”
Gush Etzion Regional Council Mayor, and Yesha Council Chairman, Shlomo Ne’eman, responded to the decision.
“We praise the decision to convene the Higher Planning Council in order to approve thousands of housing units in Ma’ale Adumim, Kedar, Gush Etzion, and Efrat, and thank the Prime Minister, Defense Minister, Finance Minister, and Minister of Strategic Affairs, on a Zionist response to this morning’s terrible terrorist attack. The development of Judea and Samaria is the appropriate response to anyone who tries to harm us or undermine our rights to the land.”
“We hope that the rest of the housing units awaiting approval will be greenlighted as soon as possible. There is no need to wait for another deadly attack. Our enemies should know that we do not cower from acts of terrorism. We must continue to develop and establish our hold on all parts of the Land of Israel," added Ne’eman.
Earlier on Thursday, Smotrich demanded a response of settlement to the shooting attack, alongside the security response.
"The serious attack in Maaleh Adumim must have a determined security response, but also a settlement response. I demand that the Prime Minister authorize the convening of the Supreme Planning Council and immediately approve plans for thousands of housing units in Maaleh Adumim and the entire region. Our enemies must know that any harm to us will lead to more construction and more development and more of our grip all over the country."
Matan Elmaliah, 26, from Maaleh Adumim, was murdered in Thursday morning’s shooting attack.
Six other people were injured in the attack - including Adi Zohar (30), a pregnant woman who is listed in serious condition, and Hanania Ben Shimon (23), who was discharged from reservist service in the Gaza Strip last week, charged one of the terrorists and was moderately injured.
