Israel to approve more than 3,000 settlement units in occupied West Bank, state TV says

Israel intends to give the nod for 3,144 illegal settlement housing units to be built in the occupied West Bank, Israeli state television said Thursday.

The planning department of Tel Aviv's Civil Administration, a military body which controls civilian life for Palestinians living under occupation is reportedly set to give the permission, Kan 11 reported.

The move was to be given the go-ahead more than two months ago, but a staff strike stopped the decision-making body from meeting.

Palestinian residents are to be given permission for 1,303 houses and other residential units in Area C, the part of the occupied West Bank over which Israel maintains complete control.

The housing units will be the first illegal outpost construction effort since Israel's coalition government came to power in June, according to Kan 11. They would also be the first built since Joe Biden became US president in January.

News of the housing units followed Israeli premier Naftali Bennett expressed his shock at the strength of Washington's push to halt illegal settlement building to the Jewish state's political and security cabinet, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed said.

Israel has occupied the West Bank illegally since 1967, committing various violations against Palestinian civilians. 

More than 600,000 Israeli Jews live in settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, in constructions considered illegal under international law.