A wage-based strike by employees of Israel’s “Civil Administration” mechanism in the occupied West Bank delayed hearings scheduled to have taken place this week on the advancement of 1,956 settler homes and authorization of 863 Palestinian homes occupied Palestinian West Bank. The Higher Planning Council for Judea and Samaria, which had been slated to debate the plans on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 17-18, canceled the hearings, and no new date has yet been set. No hearings are expected to be held next week.

Settler housing project erected on the illegally appropriated lands of the Palestinian village of Ad-Dik in the occupied West Bank (Photo: Activestills)

The council meeting would have marked the first large-scale advancement of settler building since far-right Prime Minister Naftali Bennett took office in May. The council is expected to meet four times a year to advance settler plans, but was last convened in January prior to US President Joe Biden’s inauguration.

Hadash, the Joint List and Israeli peace movements absolutely oppose the plans destined to eventually be reviewed by the occupation’s Higher Planning Council.

Related: Israel to Build 1,956 More Housing Units in West Bank Settlements