"I welcome the promotion of more than 1,000 housing units. I will continue to strengthen the Jewish settlement in [the West Bank]," Elkin said as quoted by the Haaretz newspaper on Sunday.
The newspaper said that a total of 1,355 housing units will be constructed: 729 in Ariel, 324 in Beit El, 102 in Elkana, and the rest will be built in Geva Binyamin, Immanuel, Karnei Shomron and Betar Illit.
An additional 3,100 housing units in settlements and 1,300 in Palestinian towns and villages in the West Bank could be approved already on Wednesday, according to Haaretz, with Israel planning to double the Jewish population in the Jordan Valley by 2026 (there are currently 6,400 settlers there).
The UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Tor Wennesland, warned the Security Council on Tuesday that the construction of almost 3,500 settlement units by Israel in the West Bank will significantly undermine the chances of reaching a two-state solution. The UN special envoy stressed that all settlements are illegal under international law.