Settlers say Israel is withholding construction approval for 4,300 West Bank apartments

[Swede]

Jewish settlers say Israel's defence minister is holding up construction on 4,300 apartments that could be built immediately in the West Bank.

Israel is under stiff U.S. and Palestinian pressure to renew restrictions on settlement construction that expired in late September.

Wednesday's claims by a Jewish settlement group, if true, indicate that an informal freeze is largely in place despite Israel's formal refusal to extend the curbs.

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