Israeli occupation authorities are planning to push plans to double the size of an illegal settlement built on private Palestinian land near the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Quds Press reported yesterday.

Quoting the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Quds Press said the planned expansion of the illegal Jewish settlement would isolate the Palestinian village of Al-Walja and separate it from the rest of the Palestinian territories.

The expansion “would create territorial contiguity between Jerusalem and the Gush Etzion settlement bloc, which is adjacent to Bethlehem,” Haaretz added.

In March, Haaretz said, the Planning Committee approved the expansion plan, which includes building 330 new settlement units, public institutions, petrol station and public parks.

Last week, the Israeli authorities decided to move a military checkpoint to an area close to Al-Walja, separating the only public park from the village.

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