Israel opens construction bids for new housing units in occupied West Bank

Israel’s Ministry of Housing has issued a public tender to build a new batch of housing units in the occupied West Bank, despite the projects being classified as illegal under Israeli regulations because they lack the required building permits. The bid, announced on Monday, invites contractors to submit proposals for the construction of multiple residential units in areas adjacent to existing Israeli settlements.

The tender follows a pattern of settlement expansion that has drawn criticism from the Palestinian Authority and several international bodies, which consider such construction a breach of international law. Israeli officials contend that the housing addresses demographic needs of Israeli citizens in the region. The contracts are expected to be awarded in the coming weeks, and the development is set to proceed pending the completion of the bidding process, maintaining the contentious status of settlement activity in the West Bank.