Israeli court rejects petition to halt key West Bank settlement project

Israeli court rejects petition to halt key West Bank settlement project An Israeli court on Tuesday rejected a bid from rights groups to halt development of a settlement in the occupied West Bank that would severely undermine the territorial contiguity of a future Palestinian state. The Jerusalem District Court said in a ruling it had dismissed the motion, which aimed to stall the publication of tenders for the settlement east of Jerusalem. Israel's construction and housing ministry opened a tender for construction of more than 1,200 housing units in July, leading NGOs to file motions against it.