«Israel» Freezes Plan to Give West Bank City Land to Expand

Local Editor

The "Israeli" entity's cabinet had frozen a plan to expand the West Bank's most densely populated Palestinian city by ceding military control over a parcel of land, a proposal that had outraged settler leaders.

A spokesman from "Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Wednesday that the government will deliberate the issue of Palestinian development in "Israeli" military controlled areas of the West Bank later this month. Until then, the proposal to grant a part of Area C to allow the expansion of the city of Qalqilya will be on hold.

Area C makes up 60% of the West Bank, includes all the settlements and military installations, and is under complete "Israeli" control. Area A, which makes up 18%, is under Palestinian control, and Area B, another 22%, is under Palestinian civilian control, but "Israeli" security administration.

Earlier in the day, the "Israeli" entity's War Minister Avigdor Liberman defended the plan under the pretext that it "improves security".

However, Liberman dismissed reports that 14,000 Palestinian units would be built as a result of the plan, explaining it would involve a maximum of 6,100 homes, which includes the authorization of 1,000 homes that had already been built.

Last year, Netanyahu's government quietly passed the eagerly awaited plan to allow the Palestinian city to double its size by expanding into off-limits land in Area C. Since then, settler leaders have railed against the move, calling it a "reward for terror."

The plan's opponents argued that any section of Area C in which urban Palestinian growth is allowed would inevitably become part of any future Palestinian state.

In addition, they had contended that the plan places the Palestinian homes close to the "security barrier", a move that would endanger the "Israelis" on the other side of the barrier.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team