国际英语新闻:Israel approves 2,200 settlement homes in West Bank: NGO

JERUSALEM, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Israeli authority approved plans for 2,191 settlement homes in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Peace Now, an Israeli non-governmental organization, said on Wednesday.

The plans, which include three new settlement industrial zones in the West Bank, were approved by Israel's Higher Planning Committee, a government body in charge of such projects.

Some 1,159 housing units were faced with the final major hurdle before the building permits can be issued, and 1,032 other housing units were at the first stage of the approval process.

On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, met with local council heads from settlements in Jerusalem, who thanked Netanyahu for his actions in strengthening settlement and also discussed advancing other issues.

Netanyahu told them that "we'll see an attempt by the left-wing to overthrow our rule with the help of the media and others. They can't succeed because if they do, that will pose a clear danger to the settlement movement."

The settlements are an important issue among the right-wing constituency amid the ruling coalition's decision to dissolve the parliament and hold early elections.

The settlements are illegal under international law because they are built on lands seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war, where the Palestinians wish to form their future state.