WEST BANK, (PIC)
The Israeli government has approved a budget of more than one billion shekels ($270 million) to construct roads connecting illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.
In the first phase of the plan, about three million shekels will be earmarked to prepare the plan before submitting it to the government for approval within 45 days, according to the Haaretz news website on Monday.
The Israeli government did not specify the exact locations of the roads in the West Bank.
This plan will be carried out between 2026 and 2028, covering several settlements that will be interconnected.
Currently, about 750,000 Jewish settlers live in the West Bank, including around 250,000 in east Jerusalem. Settlements are illegal under international law.
Since October 2023, Israeli forces and settlers have killed at least 1,155 Palestinians in the West Bank and injured nearly 11,750 others.
