Israel Approves New Housing Units in West Bank

iStock/Thinkstock(JERUSALEM) — Emboldened by a Trump Presidency, Israel’s right wing government has approved 2,500 new housing units for Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

The move comes after Israel approved building plans for nearly 600 Jewish homes in East Jerusalem on Sunday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted about the news Tuesday, saying, “We’re building and we’ll continue to build.”

Netanyahu clashed with the Obama administration over settlements, which, like the international community, saw them as illegal and an obstacle to peace. But Trump’s pick for U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, has openly rejected both those claims.

Palestinian leaders, meanwhile, are irate, warning the construction plans will encourage radicalization and terror.

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