Israel Gives Settler Control of West Bank Settlement Planning, Approving Thousands of New Homes

Israel granted a pro-settlement minister authority over planning in the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli government lifted red tape on the settlement housing approval process, making expansion easier.
The plans include 4,560 new housing units in the West Bank, with over 1,300 up for final approval now.
Most of the world considers the settlements, built on land Israel captured in 1967, to be illegal.
The Palestinian Authority and Hamas condemned the move, while settler groups welcomed it.