Jerusalem 1 Feb (ANA) - Israel has approved the construction of another 3,000 new homes in West Bank settlements, in addition to the 2,500 announced last week. More than 2,000 housing units will begin construction immediately, a statement from Israel's Defence Ministry said. The statement said defence minister ​Avigdor Lieberman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to approve the construction of the houses. The election of Donald Trump, who has promised to be far more supportive of Israel than his predecessor, has emboldened Israel's settlement movement. It comes days after the government approved an additional 2,500 homes in the West Bank and hundreds more in east Jerusalem. The Palestinians claim both areas, occupied by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, as parts of a future state.(ANA)

FA/ANA/1 February 2017--------