Settlement leaders urge Bennett to end building freeze

Settlement leaders are urging Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to end the de facto freeze on large-scale building projects in Judea and Samaria maintained over the last few years.

In a letter to Bennett, David Elhayani, the chairman of the Yesha Council – the settlement umbrella group – noted that five months have passed since any new housing permits were issued for Israeli towns in Judea and Samaria.

“Mr. Prime Minister, the Higher Planning Committee has not convened in the last five months to advance or permit housing plans in Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley,” Elhayani wrote.

“Over the last few years, the Higher Planning Committee has typically convened every three months to approve or advance new plans, with all plans that had been preliminary clearly being approved, without exception.”

“We request that the residents of Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley not suffer or be discriminated against in any matter regarding the advancement of plans. There are many housing plans which have been waiting a long time for approval. Therefore, the Higher Planning Committee should be convened as soon as possible to advance them.”

Following the release of the letter to Bennett, Elhayani said, “For five months already there have been no housing permits for Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley.”

“That massively delays settlement expansion. Housing permits are necessary, regardless of the makeup of the government. We are asking the prime minister to continue the status quo which was maintained in recent years and to continue to convene the Higher Planning Committee every three months without exception.”