Israel plans 30 towns in new areas

Israel is planning to build 30 new towns in the country's north and south, after decades of heavy spending on settlements in the West Bank and Gaza.

Most of the towns are planned for the southern Negev desert and the northern Galilee region, the Ha'aretz daily reported. It quoted Uzi Keren, who advises the Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon.

The newspaper report did not specify when the towns would be built or their exact locations. It said the project "will be given top priority, [and] is expected to be completed in the shortest possible period".

The plan is to secure the sparsely populated areas with more civilians, the report said.

Most of Israel's 6.7 million residents live along the coastal plain from Haifa in the north to Ashkelon in the south.

Rest of the article:
www.smh.com.au...

Also check this out:
www.guardian.co.uk...