Israel approves 2,166 new West Bank settler homes

Israel approved 2,166 new homes in settlements across the occupied West Bank yesterday, official figures sent to AFP showed, ending an eight-month lull in settlement expansion.  The approvals came less than a month after the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed agreements to normalise relations with Israel, which in return pledged to freeze its plans to annex swathes of the West Bank. NGO Peace Now says the settlement uptick signals Israel's rejection of Palestinian statehood and deals a blow to hopes of a wider Israeli-Arab peace. There were no comments from UAE, Bahrain till filing this report.

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