West Bank expansion revealed

An aerial photography operation carried out for Israel's Defence Ministry has revealed considerable new building work in Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

This is an apparent violation of Israeli obligations under a US-backed Middle East peace plan.

The Israeli Haaretz newspaper said the photography operation included all the Israeli settlements and authorised settlement outposts in the West Bank. Between the northern summer of 2004 and early 2005 the photographs showed there had been major construction, including in the large settlements of Maale Adumim, Ariel and the Gush Etzion bloc.