Defense Minister Benny Gantz and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke on the phone Tuesday about Israel's plan to build thousands of new homes in Judea and Samaria, according to a recent report.
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Blinken told Gantz that Washington strongly opposed the move and would have to respond to it. A few hours later, the Biden administration condemned Israel for the construction plans.
In turn, the defense minister told Blinken that not only are the current building plans on a much smaller scale than what was approved by former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he was in office, but they also include the construction of 1,300 new Palestinian homes.
Gantz further stressed that in an effort to strengthen the Palestinian Authority Israel will allow more transfer of goods to and from the area and will let Palestinian high-tech professionals work in Israel.
Despite the strong US rebuke, a planning forum of Israel's liaison office with the Palestinians gave preliminary approval for the plans on Wednesday.
The conversation between Gantz and Blinken comes against the backdrop Housing Minister Ze'ev Elkin's planned campaign to market almost 1,000 housing units in Judea and Samaria, according to the Israel Land Authority.
The civil administration's higher planning and zoning committee was supposed to meet last August to discuss the construction of 2,000 units, but the meeting was canceled due to a labor dispute.
Israel Hayom reported at the time that the plans meant to be discussed at that time were scrapped due to pressure from Washington, leading to protests by heads of councils in Judea and Samaria.
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