Israel plans for a new settlement project

After the Israeli government approved a settlement project in East Jerusalem for the construction of 110 settlement blocs, Israel is mulling the building of another big project north west of Bethlehem in the West Bank. Khalil Tafakji, a Palestinian expert in jewish settlement told radio Voice of Palestine that the new settlement bloc will span the lands of the Arab villages of Walaja and Batteer, separating the southern West Bank from greater Jerusalem. Israel has a settlement plan for the year 2020 envisaging the construction of 58,000 housing units, he said. The proposed new neighborhood, planned years ago, would ultimately be home to some 45,000 jews. The plans also provide for commercial areas and a sports club, public utilities and green areas.