TEL AVIV, Wednesday, February 28, 2024 (WAFA) - Israeli human rights organization Peace Now said in a report today that the Israeli occupation government has advanced a plan for the construction of a new colony north of the town of Ubeidiya, located east of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank.

According to the report, the so-called central  command chief of the Israeli occupation army has signed an order specifying the geographic jurisdiction of the new colony north of Ubeidiya. The initial phase involves seizing 417 dunams of land for that purpose.

The report indicates that this decision is in line with the Israeli government's resolution in February 2023 to establish nine new colonies through legitimizing unauthorized colonial outposts. This includes legalizing the outpost Mitzpe Yehuda, which will be renamed Meshumar Yehuda after the plan implementation.

In the first stage, 3,600 housing units will be constructed on a 417-dunam area for nationalist-religious colonists. The second stage is set to expand the colony by an additional 2,000 dunams and include 10,000 more housing units for ultra-Orthodox Jewish colonists.

Peace Now disclosed that the Israeli Ministry of Housing has contracted planners and architects to prepare plans for the new colony at a cost of approximately 2.7 million shekels.

Commenting on the plan, Peace Now stated that "the plan constitutes a significant blow to Israel's security interests and to the Palestinians, especially regarding the prospects of reaching a two-state agreement." 

It added, "Instead of planning for a peaceful and secure future for Israel, the government plans to perpetuate the conflict, deepen the occupation, and unfortunately, continue the bloodshed."

M.N