Israel advances plans for 853 new homes in Judea and Samaria

Israel's Supreme Planning Council of the Defense Ministry's Civil Administration is set to advance plans for 853 new homes in Judea and Samaria. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced that this includes 763 units in Eli, a town in the Binyamin region of Samaria, which would approximately triple its size. These homes are located in neighborhoods established "in memory of a number of soldiers from the community who fell in Israel's wars." Additionally, 90 housing units are planned for Har Adar, near Jerusalem, a community that "has been waiting years for the promotion of new construction." Smotrich affirmed the government's commitment to continued construction, contrasting it with opposition politicians. This initiative follows a broader government drive to expand control in Judea and Samaria, including a 1.3 billion shekel plan approved in June for establishing and developing Jewish communities.