Israel plans to build new settlement in occupied West Bank

Israel plans to build a new Jewish-only settlement in the occupied West Bank, according to an Israeli anti-settlement group on Wednesday.

Peace Now said an order was signed by the commander of the military's Central Command, Maj. Gen. Yehuda Fuchs, delineating jurisdiction for a new settlement north of Al-Ubediya town, east of Bethlehem.

The first phase of the settlement will include 3,600 housing units on about 417 dunams for the religious-nationalist public, the organization said.

"In the second phase, the settlement is intended to expand to an additional 2,000 dunams and another 10,000 housing units for the Ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) population," it added in a statement.

Israeli authorities have already contracted planners and architects to prepare plans for the new settlement at a cost of approximately 2.7 million shekels ($751,000).

According to Peace Now, the new settlement is an implementation of an earlier government decision in February of last year to establish nine new settlements in the West Bank.

"Any house that would be built in this new settlement will eventually have to be evacuated by Israel. The plan is a severe blow to Israel's security interest and to the Palestinians, and especially to the chances of reaching a two-state agreement," the Israeli group said.

"Instead of planning a future of peace and security for Israel, the government is planning to perpetuate the conflict, deepen the occupation, and unfortunately, continue the bloodshed."

Estimates indicate about 700,000 Israeli settlers live in roughly 300 illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

All Jewish settlements in the occupied territories are considered illegal under international law.

Tensions have been running high across the occupied West Bank since Israel launched a deadly military offensive against the Gaza Strip following Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack.

More than 400 Palestinians have since been killed and 4,500 others injured by Israeli army fire and in settler attacks in the occupied territory, according to the Health Ministry.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice over its deadly onslaught on the Gaza Strip, which has left more than 29,900 people dead.

In an interim ruling in January, the Hague-based court ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.