Weekly roundup of world briefs

Israel advanced 2,300 homes in Judea and Samaria in six weeks

(JNS) — Israel has advanced plans to build more than 2,300 housing units in Judea and Samaria since Dec. 1, as part of a push by the Settlement Administration, a unit in the Defense Ministry under the authority of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

The Settlement Administration has convened every week since early December to approve construction in the region, approving a total of 2,377 units, whereas the body would previously meet once every three to four months on average, Ynet reported on Monday.

During last week’s meeting alone,...