By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has approved the construction of hundreds of new homes in a West Bank settlement, local daily Ha’aretz reported Sunday.
According to the report, some 750 homes will be built in the Givat Ze’ev settlement in the Agan Ayelot neighbourhood.
Housing and Construction Minister Ze’ev Boim Sunday instructed his office to carry out the project, it said.
The project in the West Bank was first initiated in 1999 by the Israeli Housing Ministry and Israel Lands Administration (ILA), but was stopped in 2000.
However, the contractors recently began resuming their work after the security situation in the West Bank improved and demand for apartments in Jerusalem went up.
“The resumption of the work in Agan Haeilot is good news,” Boim said, adding, the construction of the houses is part of a policy to meet the high demands from the public.
After numerous consultations, Olmert and Boim approved the project in Givat Ze’ev. In the first stage of the project, 200 houses will be built.
Israel Radio reported, the Shas party, a key partner in the coalition government, had threatened to withdraw support from the government unless the construction was approved.