“Including Industrial, commercial and tourism areas”
A new neighborhood in Beitar Illit settlement on lands of Wad Fukin village & Tenders in 13 Israeli settlements in the oWB

The Custodian of Israeli Government Property in the occupied West Bank and the Ministry of Housing and construction issued on the 1st of February 2014 a tender No. 171/2014 which includes the construction of 218 settlement units (five complexes) in Beitar Illit settlement southwest of Bethlehem city as part of Town Planning Scheme (TPS) No. 426/3.

The tender, which was published on the Israeli Land Administration (ILA) website, states that the Israeli Government is planning to build a new neighborhood to the northwestern side of Beitar Illit settlement under the name “Beitar Illit C”, on lands of Wad Fukin village in Bethlehem Governorate.  The tender was first published on the 4th of June 2014 and invited interested parties to submit their bids by the 1st of September 2014 along with signing a lease to – 98 years – with an option to extend the lease for another 98 years; however, the deadline for submission of bids was postponed till the 9th of March 2015. See Map 1

Map 1: Israeli plans in Beitar Illit settlement southwest of Jerusalem city

The expansion, which Israel intends to impose through plan No. 426/3 would change the geography of the area on the expense of the surrounding Palestinian communities, most specifically, the lands of Wad Fukin village. Not forgetting to mention that the settlement of Beitar Illit is one of the 11 settlements comprising the Israeli so-called "Gush Etzion settlement" bloc south of Jerusalem city which Israel seeks to annex to its borders in addition to two other settlement blocs surrounding the city from the east and northwest, Ma'aleh Adumim and Givat Ze'ev, through the construction of the Israeli Segregation wall.

Additionally, Israel is unilaterally trying to redefine the municipal boundaries of Jerusalem municipality and manipulate the demographics of the city by limiting the balance of the Palestinian population to a mere 20 percent, with the remainder being Jewish with no regard to international law and human rights.

During the year 2014 and up until today’s date, the Applied research institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ), recorded a considerable number of tenders and plans that were published on the Israeli Land Administration’s website to build in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Below is a detailed information about the issued tenders and plans:-  

1. Israeli Tender No. 148/2014  in Armon Hanatziv neighborhood in East Telpiot settlement in east Jerusalem. The tender was published on the 25th of January 2015 and includes the building of hotel complexes in Bloc. No. 30152. The total cost of the project is NIS 15,797,764 and the deadline for submission of bids is on the 22nd of June 2015.
2. Israeli Tender No. 177/2014  in Ramat Shlomo settlement north of Jerusalem city. The tender was published on the 5th of June 2014 and includes the construction of 400 settlement units in the settlement. The Israel Land Administration invites proposals for signing a lease to – 98 years with an option to extend the lease for another 98 years. The plan holds No. 11085.
3. Israeli Tender No. 176/2014 in Ariel Settlement in Salfit Governorate. The tender was published on the 8th of February 2015 and includes the construction of 60 settlement units in the eastern side of the settlement. The deadline for submission of bids is on the 1st of June 2015. Note that the tender was first published on the 5th of June 2014 and includes the construction of 32 settlement units; however, the ILA updated the tender to include the building of more units in the settlement. Moreover,  the ILA invites offers to the signing of contracts for 36 months and to lease the land for 98 years with an option to extend for another 98 years. The plan holds No. 130/2/3.
4. Israeli Tender No.  16/2014 in Neve Yacoov settlement north of Jerusalem city. The tender was published on the 31st of December 2014 and includes the construction of 56 units in the settlement (two buildings) as part of TPS No. 6513/A. The total cost of the building project exceeds NIS 20 million and deadline for submission of bids is on the 16th of March 2015. Note that the tender was first issued on the 12th of January 2014.
5. Israeli Tender No.  24/2015 invites to receive offers to lease plots of land for the construction of 102 housing units in three complexes as part of plan No. 6513/A in Neve Yaakov settlement north of  Jerusalem city. The ILA invites proposals for signing a lease to – 98 years with an option to extend for another 98 years. The deadline for submission of bids is on the 23rd of March 2015. Note that the tender was first issued on the 29th of December 2015.
6. Israeli Tender No. 23/2014 in Ariel West settlement (Ariel Industrial) in Salfit Governorate. The ILA invites proposals for signing the lease contract- 49 years with an option to extend for another 49 years. The tender was published on the 24th of August 2014  and includes the lease of 14.296 dunums of land in the settlement for industrial purposes as part of TPS No. 6/1/ T/130. The deadline for submission of bids is on the 17th of May 2015.
7. Israeli Tender No. 9/2015   in Ma’ale Adumim settlement east of Jerusalem city. The ILA invites proposals for signing the lease contract- 49 years with an option to extend for another 49 years. The tender was published on the 23rd of January 2015  and includes the lease of land for the building of offices and commercial stores. The deadline for submission of bids is on the 27th of April 2015.
8. Israeli Tender No.  12/2015 in Ma’ale Adumim settlement east of Jerusalem city. The ILA invites proposals for signing the lease contract- 49 years with an option to extend for another 49 years. The tender was published on the 23rd of January 2015  and includes the lease of land for the building of offices and commercial stores. The deadline for submission of bids is on the  5th of April 2015.
9. Israeli Tender No. 20/2015 in Geva’ Benyamin – Adam settlement in Ramallah Governorate. The tender was published on the 23rd of February 2015 and includes the construction of 54 units in the eastern part of the settlement (Migron East) as part of plan No. 240/2/14/1. The ILA invites proposals for signing a lease to- 98 years with an option to extend for another 98 years for residential purposes. The deadline for submission of bids is on the 23rd of March 2015. Note that the tender was first issued on the 29th of January 2015.  
10. Israeli Tender No.  6/2015  in Immanuel settlement in Salfit Governorate. The tender was issued on the 23rd of January 2015 for commercial purposes as part of TPS No. 120/3/1. The Tender invites proposals for signing a lease to- 49 years with an option to extend for another 49 years. The deadline for submission of bids is on the 27th of April 2015.
11.   Israeli Tender No.  7/2015 in Immanuel settlement in Salfit Governorate. The tender was issued on the 23rd of January 2015 for commercial purposes as part of TPS No. 120/3/1. The Tender invites proposals for signing a lease to- 49 years with an option to extend for another 49 years. The deadline for submission of bids is on the 27th of April 2015.      
12. Israeli Tender No. 8/2015 in Ma’ale Adumim settlement east of Jerusalem  city. The tender was published on the 23rd of January 2015 to build hotels in the settlement. The ILA invites proposals for signing a lease to- 49 years with an option to extend for another 49 years. The deadline for submission of bids is on the 27th of April 2015.     
13. Israeli Tender No. 10/2015  in Ma’ale Adumim settlement east of Jerusalem  city. The tender was published on the 23rd of January 2015 to build offices and commercial stores. The ILA invites proposals for signing a lease to- 49 years with an option to extend for another 49 years. The deadline for submission of bids is on the 27th of April 2015.                 
14. Israeli Tender No. 11/2015  in Ma’ale Adumim – Mishor Adumim settlements east of Jerusalem  city. The tender was published on the 23rd of January 2015 to build offices and commercial stores. The ILA invites proposals for signing a lease to- 49 years with an option to extend for another 49 years. The deadline for submission of bids is on the 5th of April 2015.    
15. Israeli Tender No. 13/2015 in Ma’ale Adumim – Mishor Adumim settlements east of Jerusalem  city. The tender was published on the 23rd of January 2015 to build offices and commercial stores. The ILA invites proposals for signing a lease to- 49 years with an option to extend for another 49 years. The deadline for submission of bids is on the 5th of April 2015.     
16. Israeli Tender No. 14/2015  in Ma’ale Adumim – Mishor Adumim settlements east of Jerusalem  city. The tender was published on the 23rd of January 2015 to build offices and commercial stores. The ILA invites proposals for signing a lease to- 49 years with an option to extend for another 49 years. The deadline for submission of bids is on the 5th of April 2015.     
17. Israeli Tender No.  23/2015 in Alfei Menashe settlement in Qalqilyia Governorate in the northern West Bank. The tender was issued on the 24th of February 2015 and includes the building of 78 settlement units in Givat Tal neighborhood as part of TPS No. 115/8/6. The deadline for submission of bids is on the 23rd of January 2015. The tender was first issued on the 29th of January 2015
18. Israeli Tender No. 22/2015  in Elkana settlement in Qalqilyia Governorate. The tender was published on the 24th of February 2015 and includes the construction of 156 units in the northern part of the settlement as part of TPS No. 125/13/3. The deadline for submission of bids is on the 23rd of March 2015.  The tender was first issued on the 29th of January 2015.
19. Israeli Tender No.  174/2014 in Giv’at Ze’ev settlement north of Jerusalem city. The tender was published on the 12th of January 2015 and includes the construction of 100 units in the settlement as part of TPS No. 220/9. The deadline for submission of bids is on the 8th of May 2015.  Note that the tender was first issued on the 5th of June 2014 and invites offers to the signing of development contracts for 36 months followed by lease contract for 49 years with an option to extend the lease for another 98 years.
20. The Israeli Tender No. 204/2014 in Giv’at Haz’it neighborhood in Efrat settlement southwest of Bethlehem city. The tender was issued on the 4th of December 2014 and includes the building of 40 settlement units and a commercial area in the settlement as part of TPS No. 410/5/4. The 10th of February 2015 was the deadline for the submission of bids. Note that the Israeli Land Administration published the tender for the first time on the 7th of January 2015  and invited offers to the signing of development contracts for 36 months followed by contracts  to lease the land for 98 years with an option to extend the lease for another 98 years.
21. The Israeli Tender No. 173/2014 in Agan Ya’a lot neighborhood in Giv’at Zeev settlement north of Jerusalem city. The tender was published on the 4th of January 2014 and includes the building of 55 units (2 complexes) as part of the TPS No. 220/10. Deadline for submission of proposals was on the 10th of February 2015. The ILA invited offers to the signing of development contracts for 36 months followed by a lease contract for 49 years with an option to extend the lease for another 98 years.
22. The Israeli Tender No. 170/2014 in Beitar Illit settlement (Beitar A2) southwest of Bethlehem city. The tender was published on the 4th of January 2014 and includes the building of 20 units  as part of TPS No. 426/1/3/12. Deadline for submission of bids was on the 9th of February 2015. Note that the ILA published the tender for the first time on the 4th of June 2014 and called on submission of bids up untill the 1st of September 2014. The ILA also invited offers to the signing of development contracts for 36 months followed by a lease contract for 49 years with an option to extend the lease for another 98 years.
23. Israeli Tender No. 21/2015 in Geva’ Benyamin – Adam settlement in Ramallah Governorate. The tender was published on the 24th of February 2015 and includes the construction of 60 units (3 COMPLEXES) in the eastern part of the settlement (Migron East). The Tender invites proposals for signing a lease to- 98 years with an option to extend for another 98 years. The deadline for submission of bids is on the 23rd of March 2015. Note that the tender was first published on the 29th of January 2015.  See Table 1

To conclude,

The Israeli government spares no effort to stop settlement building in the occupied West Bank, but continues construction in settlement blocs surrounding Jerusalem, with the aim to cut off the city from the rest of the Palestinian West Bank Governorates. Israel also wants to maintain control over the five major Israeli settlement blocs in the West Bank to ensure that it remains a predominantly Jewish state, irrespective of the cost to the Palestinians. Additionally, as settlement building and expansion continues, there is growing concern that the increasing fragmentation of the West Bank territory will endanger the possibility of a contiguous Palestinian state in the future.

Prepared by:  
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem