Israel returns bodies of 3 more Palestinian terrorists

But according to Peace Now’s report, planning in E1 commenced quietly just one year later, when in November 2014, “the ministry of housing – without any public tender or announcement – hired architects to work on numerous plans that were cancelled, including in E1, “E2″, Nokdim, Tkoa, Maale Amos and many others”.

“These plans therefore have no standing and are not binding on anyone”, it added.

More than half the units are for construction east of the security barrier and include more than 8,000 units in the controversial E1 area, two new settlements and the legalization of at least six outposts, said the report, which was issued Monday.

To the north of E1 is another large settlement, Pisgat Ze’ev.

The cell is evidence to “an increased effort to exploit the escalation of violence in the West Bank to promote bombings and suicide bombings against targets in Israel and the West Bank”, the Shin Bet said.

Americans for Peace Now (APN) is alarmed by new evidence, exposed today by our Israeli sister organization Peace Now, indicating that the Israeli government is planning massive new settlement construction in the West Bank, including in an area known as “E-1” adjacent to East Jerusalem.

Tuesday’s statement referred specifically to Ariel’s “theoretical plans for development in E1” and did not mention the broader project.

Israeli construction in E1 would connect the two settlements, surround East Jerusalem completely and sever any geographical contiguity in the West Bank – a serious blow to any hopes of a viable Palestinian state.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has voiced concern over “extrajudicial killing” of Palestinians by Israeli forces.

Peace Now said it had obtained the information from Israel’s Housing Ministry in response to a freedom of information request.

Israel seized the West Bank and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War. The worldwide community, including the USA, rejects settlements as illegal or illegitimate, saying they undermine the goal of establishing a Palestinian state living in peace next to Israel.