Israel is to advance plans for nearly 4,000 settler homes in the occupied West Bank as part of a push to greatly boost settlement growth, the Daily Mail quoted an Israeli official as saying Tuesday.

The approvals are to include units in the flashpoint West Bank city of Hebron for the first time in years.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that "3,736 housing units will be approved at different stages of planning and construction".

"In total, about 12,000 housing units will be approved in 2017, at various stages of planning and construction, four times the number in 2016," the official said.

Source : Mena