Israel ministers want million settlers in northern West Bank by 2050

Israeli ministers in the current far-right government are backing a plan to dramatically boost the number of settlers in the north of the occupied West Bank to one million by 2050.

The plan seeks an increase of almost 500 percent on the 170,000 settlers currently living in the area, which Israel refers to using the biblical term "Samaria".

Economy Minister Nir Barkat, Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar, Tourism Minister Haim Katz and Immigration Minister Ofir Sofer are among those in favour, Israeli news website Ynet reported.

The plan has been formulated within the Israeli body that governs settlements in the region, the Samaria Regional Council, Ynet said, the name used by Israel to part of the occupied West Bank.

It added that the proposals  concern solely territory Israel has claimed as state land or confiscated in Area C of the West Bank, where it maintains full control under the 1993 Oslo Accords.

However, the entirety of the West Bank – including all of Area C – is considered occupied Palestinian territory.

The Israeli council chief for "Samaria" Yossi Dagan last week contacted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the million-settler plan.

It would involve expanding and creating settlements, as well as establishing an airport.

A team including engineers, geographers and other specialists have been crafting the proposals for over a year.

News of the plan comes amid a difficult period for relations between Israel and its key ally, the US, which has expressed criticism of issues such as settler violence.

Israel has occupied the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since 1967.

It maintains a network of settlements in these territories, which are illegal under international law and considered a key barrier to a two-state solution since they carve up Palestinian land.

There are currently over 700,000 Jewish settlers residing illegally across the entirety of the West Bank and East Jerusalem.