On day US Mideast envoy arrives in Israel, Peace Now movement publishes report on settlement expansion activity last year.
The outpost of Givat Harel, located outside the separation fence - December 2008 and May 2008
According to the report, there were 285,800 settlers living in the occupied West Bank as of 2008, with 1,518 new structures built in the occupied territories last year, including 261 outposts.
Sixty-one percent of the new structures were built west of the route of the apartheid wall and 39% were built east of it. A quarter of the new structures east of the wall were built in outposts.
At least 1,257 new structures were built in existing settlements, including 748 permanent buildings and 509 caravans compared to 800 structures in 2007 - a 60% rise. In addition the ground was prepared for the construction of 63 new structures.
The outpost of Bruchin - December 2008 and May 2008
Peace Now also presented a list of settlements with large construction project in the last six months: Alfei Menashe (16 new structures), Efrat (15 new structures), Beit Arye (27 new structures), Beitar Illit (18 new structures), Keidar (13 new structures), Giv'at Ze'ev (10 new structures), Modi'in Illit (35 new structures), Ma'ale Adumim (13 new structures), Ma'ale Shomron (19 new structures).
The report continued to say that not a single real outpost was evacuated in 2008, and at least 261 new structures were built, including 227 caravans and 34 permanent structures, compared to 98 structures in 2007 (including 82 caravans and 16 permanent structures).
The outpost of Hanekuda, located outside the separation fence - December 2008 and May 2008
In addition the ground was prepared for the construction of nine new permanent structures. Besides these outposts there is a large number of additional points controlled by the settlers.
At the outpost of Migron for example the settlers added 5 new structures and began building an extension for another permanent structure.
Settlers took advantage of Gaza war
During the war on Gaza the terrorist Jewish settlers took advantage of the fact that all public attention was on the south to expand construction in the outposts and settlements, the report said.
The organization said at this point it is difficult to assess the amount of construction done during the weeks of the war but it can be stated with certainty that a number of new roads were opened, with the goal of extending control in the areas near the settlements.
The report continued to say that in 2008 tenders were issued to build 539 new housing units in the settlements, compared to only 65 housing units in 2007, an eight-fold increase in the number of tenders.
Construction permits were also granted for the beginning of work on large projects west of the wall: Nine-hundred-and-fifty housing units in Ma'ale Adumim, 800 housing units in Giv'at Ze'ev, 100 housing units in Ariel and more.
In addition a considerable momentum began in planning and construction in east Jerusalem.
Peace Now said Defense Minister Ehud Barak approved dozens of construction plans in settlements in 2008, some east of the wall.
Peace Now Secretary-General Yariv Oppenheimer said, "The Labor-Kadima government is a big disappointment in anything to do with freezing construction in settlements.
The settlers don't have to wait for Bibi (Netanyahu), since the present government has allowed construction not just in settlement blocks, but also in isolated settlements and outposts."
Peace Now report can be downloaded here (PDF).
[Text adopted and reformated from Yedioth Internet]
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