Israel Approves $18M Extra Funding for West Bank Settlements
Source: Associated Press
Israel Approves $18M Extra Funding for West Bank Settlements
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS JERUSALEM Jun 19, 2016, 2:54 PM ET
The Israeli government approved $18 million in extra funding for Jewish West Bank settlements on Sunday, in a move that angered both opposition lawmakers and Palestinians.
A statement from Netanyahu's office the funding aims to assist small businesses, encourage tourism and strengthen security. It follows months of Palestinian attacks on civilians and soldiers.
Some 600,000 Jews live in settlements built on the West Bank and in east Jerusalem on lands Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 war. Most of the world considers them to be illegal. Israel has faced strong criticism for their continued expansion. The Palestinians demand the territory as part of their future state.
Opposition lawmakers attacked the decision, saying that instead of boosting Israel's struggling periphery the government was pouring money into an enterprise that undermined Israel's security and international standing.
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