The Land and Research Center reported that Israel was ongoing with its settlement activities during the co-called temporary settlement freeze that officially expired by midnight Sunday. The Center said that Israel continued the work in more than 120 settlements and annexed large areas of Palestinian lands in the West Bank.
It added that statistics revealed that settlement activities did not halt during the freeze, and that some 1,520 units were built or are currently under construction.
Israel also prepared contracts for the construction of 2,066 units for settlements in addition to plans for construction of 37,679 units for settlers in the near future.
The Center further stated that Israel annexed 5,906 dunams of Palestinian lands during the “settlement freeze”, and uprooted 920 dunams of Palestinian farmlands and orchards.
Also during the freeze, Israel demolished 280 homes and structures, and intends to demolish nearly 830 structures.
Israel also prevented the paving of 10 new roads in several parts of the West Bank, while settlers occupied 13 homes and managed to pave 28 settler-only roads.
In related news, Israeli media sources reported that Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has asked his ministers not to make any announcements or statements regarding the end of settlement freeze, and also asked settler leaders to cancel plans for celebrating the end of this freeze.
The sources added that Israeli Member of Knesset of the Likud Party, Danny Dannon, stated that Monday will witness the placing of cornerstones for some 2,000 units in different West Bank settlements. The Likud Party is headed by Netanyahu.
• 1 Dunam equals 0.247 Acres
