Israel has approved plans to build another 523 homes in the West Bank, settlers said yesterday, in the first step towards a new settlement “city” that drew furious condemnation from the Palestinians.

“After years, we are happy to announce that the Government of Israel has decided to build a city in Gush Etzion,” David Perel, head of the regional council there, said.

He said the Defence Ministry had approved plans for 523 homes in Gevaot, part of the Gush Etzion group of settlements in the southern West Bank. The ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Perel said the council presented plans for a city of at least 6,000 homes in 2000, but had not received approval until now. “This is a huge achievement,” he said.

According to Hagit Ofran from the Israeli settlement watchdog Peace Now, there are currently around a dozen caravans at the site, but she said the new city could be home to as many as 25,000 people.

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