Report: Under pressure from US, Israel imposes de facto building freeze on Judea, Samaria

Under pressure from US, Israel imposes de facto building freeze on Judea, Samaria

Officials say Israel has imposed de facto building freeze on Judea and Samaria, following pressure from the Biden administration.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has apparently slowed the approval process for construction projects in Judea and Samaria because of American pressure, Israel Hayom reported Wednesday.

According to the report, Bennett has refused to let the Civil Administration Zoning Committee schedule a routine meeting for the approval of construction plans.

This has gone on for over a month, the sources said. The sources, which are affiliated with the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, alleged that this amounts to a de facto construction moratorium because no new plans can go forward without the committee’s go-ahead. “This is tantamount to complete capitulation to US dictates,” the sources.

The committee, which is under the auspices of the Defense Ministry and is tasked with overseeing construction beyond the Green Line, normally reviews new construction plans every three months, including various infrastructure projects.

These plans are essential for the overall development of the communities, as they pertain to access roads and big projects as well.

The previous government, under then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was supposed to set a date for a meeting of the committee, but Defense Minister Benny Gantz prevented it from doing so, insisting only the new government should do so.

Though Bennett has been in power for over a month, no date has been set, this time due to American pressure.