Bezalel Smotrich
Bezalel SmotrichChaim Goldberg/Flash90

The Civil Administration's Higher Planning Committee will meet Wednesday to approve the construction of over 5,300 new housing units in Judea and Samaria, as well as the marketing of over 500 other housing units.

Since Minister Bezalel Smotrich took office as a Minister in the Defense Ministry, approximately 21,700 housing units were approved, and 2,600 approved for market, for a total of over 24,000 housing units within the span of 1.5 years.

In comparison, between 2020-2022, less than 20,000 units were approved.

Sources close to Smotrich noted that during the Committee's meeting, a number of plans will be approved to continue the process of normalizing the young settlements and leading to a de facto normalization of the towns of Mahane Gadi, Beit Hogla, Gva'ot, and the "booster" neighborhood of Negohot.

Among others, important construction plans will be approved for Elon Moreh (186 housing units), Kiryat Arba (over 20 housing units), a plan which adds 435 housing units to the town of Neria thus doubling the existing town, and many other plans in various areas of Judea and Samaria.

"Thank G-d we are building and developing the settlements - and thwarting the danger of a Palestinian state," Smotrich said. "Last week, we brought five towns in strategic areas for Cabinet approval, among them the town of Evyatar, and thus we are adding approvals for thousands of housing units, and tens of thousands of dunams of construction potential on State lands."

"This is a massive joint project which aims to thwart a Palestinian state. Always, and even more at the current town, we are obligated to act to develop this wonderful land and thwart the discourse on a Palestinian state which would be a prize for terrorism."