Israel continues fostering settlements in W. Bank

ISRAEL: Israel has started widespread building activity in at least 12 West Bank settlements, despite commitments to US over launching a peace process with Palestine, a humanitarian organization said Saturday.

Human rights activists monitoring the West Bank report that construction works began three weeks ago and consist in ground preparation, pouring concrete and drilling construction foundations.

The construction work began while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in Washington with the Presidents of Palestine National Authority, ANP Mahmoud Abbas and US President Barack Obama, to restore peace negotiations.

The humanitarian organization, according to the Israeli paper Haaretz, claims that the aforementioned works are not included in the agreements reached between Israel and US, related with building some 2,500 houses units.

The construction of those houses units, currently in several constructive stages, had been decided by Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, same source added.The dozen sites do not appear on the list of 492 new housing units that the defense ministry issued after Barak approved their construction.

Work on these units began after the list was released.

Jerusalem, Sunday, Prensa Latina