Likud Unanimously Supports Construction of Settlements in Disputed West Bank

"Fifty years after the liberation of Judea and Samaria, and with them Jerusalem, our eternal capital, the Likud Central Committee calls on Likud’s elected leaders to work to allow unhindered construction and to extend Israeli law and sovereignty in all the areas of liberated settlement in Judea and Samaria," the adopted resolution read, as cited by The Times of Israel news outlet, on Sunday.

The move comes after the Israeli authorities had endorsed agreement with the European Union, abandoning construction of settlements in the West Bank, the outlet added.

The Likud's resolution is non-binding, however, a lot of Israel's senior lawmakers supported the document, according to the publication. Netanyahu, in turn, did not show up for the vote. However, the prime minister was aware of the vote being held, and did not attempt to delay or cancel the meeting, the reports added.

In December, the Israeli authorities adopted a plan for development of settlements construction on the contested West Bank to accept additional 10,000 settlers in the coming 10 years.

For decades, Israel has been in conflict with the Palestinians, who had been seeking for diplomatic recognition for their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which are partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli government refuses to recognize Palestine as an independent political and diplomatic entity and continues to build settlements in the occupied areas, despite objections from the United Nations.