Israel issues tender for 627 settler units between Jerusalem and Ramallah
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Israel issued a tender for 627 new housing units in the Kokhav Ya'akov settlement, located between Jerusalem, Ramallah, and Al-Bireh, the Jerusalem Governorate said. The tender, published on August 6, covers 253 dunams and was approved in April 2025. Palestinian officials warned the plan aims to further separate Jerusalem from the rest of the occupied West Bank.
The Tender
The tender, published on August 6, calls for 627 residential units to be built on 253 dunams within the Kefr Akab area of northern Jerusalem. The plan, approved in April 2025, targets the Kokhav Ya'akov settlement, which sits between Jerusalem, Ramallah, and Al-Bireh. According to the Jerusalem Governorate, the project aims to expand the settlement and integrate it with adjacent settlement and road networks.
Settlement Expansion
Palestinian officials say the development deepens the fragmentation of the West Bank, further severing Jerusalem from Ramallah and Al-Bireh. Some 750,000 Israeli settlers live in 141 settlements and 224 outposts across the West Bank, with an additional 250,000 in East Jerusalem. Israel has accelerated settlement approvals in recent months, drawing condemnation from the United Nations, which considers all settlements illegal under international law.
International Condemnation
The Palestinian Authority has urged the international community to pressure Israel to halt settlement expansion. The United Nations has repeatedly called settlements a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention and an obstacle to a two-state solution. The tender follows a surge in settlement activity under Israel's current government, according to monitoring groups, despite international calls for a freeze.
What's Next
The Jerusalem Governorate called for global intervention to stop the project, while settlement monitor Peace Now warned that additional approvals are expected in the coming weeks. The international response remains uncertain as the peace process remains stalled.
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Israel issues tender for 627 settler units between Jerusalem and Ramallah
