Israel is considering the expansion of a settlement in the West Bank, despite opposition from the international community.

 

An Israeli interior ministry committee has called for the expansion of one of the largest settlements in the occupied West Bank, Israel's army radio reported.

The committee has declared in a report that the small settlement of Qedar should be integrated into the giant colony of Maale Adumim, along with the lands that lie between the two, AFP reported.

The plan if implemented would add another 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) to Maale Adumim and add another 800 people to its current 34,500 residents.

Now the Israeli Interior Minister Eli Yishai should give a go-ahead to the plan. Yishai is of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, which generally supports the expansion of settlements.

Israel's settlement activities has been described as the most “significant obstacle” in the way of Israeli-Palestinian peace process which suffered a major setback after the new Israeli government took office.

The international community has repeatedly urged Israel to stop settlement construction in the occupied lands because it would damage the Middle East peace process and prevents the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

International bodies including the UN Security Council, the European Union, and the International Court of Justice consider Israel's settlement activities illegal.

Source: PressTV