OMM Newsroom
Israeli authorities have issued a tender for the construction of 732 units in the Gvaot settlement, west of Bethlehem in the southern West Bank, a Palestinian government body said on Monday, according to Anadolu Agency.
The Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission said in a statement that the tender was published on Sunday as the first phase of a project to expand settlements in the Bethlehem governorate.
The tender covers multistory residential buildings, commercial facilities and public institutions, the commission said, citing official records of the Israel Land Authority.
Bids are due to be accepted from Dec. 1, with a submission deadline of Dec. 28, the commission said.
Israeli authorities also issued a separate tender for land at the same location designated for commercial activities, employment facilities and public buildings.
The commission said the two tenders point to plans to expand the settlement beyond housing by establishing economic and service facilities. It described tenders as an advanced procedural step toward implementing previously approved settlement plans, enabling companies and developers to compete for land development contracts.
West Bank tenders
A review by the commission of Israel Land Authority records found that Israeli authorities issued at least 28 land tenders across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, from the beginning of 2026 through Nov. 8.
Eighteen of the tenders covered a total of 7,815 settlement units, while 10 involved nonresidential projects.
Settlement activity has intensified across the occupied West Bank, including through the expansion of existing settlements, the establishment of new outposts, the seizure of Palestinian land and the demolition of Palestinian structures.
Around 770,000 Israeli settlers live in hundreds of settlements and outposts across the occupied West Bank, including approximately 250,000 in East Jerusalem.
Under UN Security Council Resolution 2334, adopted in 2016, Israeli settlements in the West Bank occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, have no legal validity and constitute a flagrant violation of international law.
