The building plans imply that the population in Efrat's settlement could grow by 40 percent. It would also further block the development of the nearby Palestinian city of Bethlehem.
The work can begin after the tendering process and the issuance of permits, which can take at least another year, according to Hagit Ofran, who leads the monitoring of settlements for Peace Now.
Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem in the Middle East War in 1967. Over 500,000 settlers with Israeli citizenship live on the occupied West Bank, which is home to approximately three million Palestinians.
Peace Now has accused Netanyahu of continuing to push through settlement plans, despite the fact that not all hostages taken by the terrorist-stamped Hamas have been released since October 7, 2023.
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