The Israeli government will subsidise
hotels in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, as part of a
plan to attract more tourists to the area.
According to an article in Arutz Sheva, citing a report by Israel Hayom,
Israel’s Tourism Ministry “will aid entrepreneurs who want to invest in
building or expanding hotels in Judea and Samaria [the occupied West
Bank]”.
The entrepreneurs can now apply for a grant of up to 20 per cent of their intended investment.
Israel Hayom reported that a
meeting held earlier this year between senior settler officials and the
managers of Israeli travel agencies in the occupied West Bank “showed
that the number of guest units is insufficient, causing tourists to
avoid staying in the area for more than a day”.
According to the report, the government
grants “are intended to encourage investors to open additional guest
units in [illegal settlements in] Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley
[the occupied West Bank]”.
Settler leader (Yesha Council chair)
Hananel Dorani stated: “We thank [Tourism] Minister Yariv Levin (Likud)
for his important work on the issue of tourism in Judea, Samaria, and
the Jordan Valley.”
“Building hotels and guest houses in the
area is an important step which shows the deepening of our roots in the
ground and paves the way for Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria,”
he added.
“Giving grants for the creation of hotels
is another supplemental step which will help solve the problem of where
to sleep and will strengthen settlements and our hold on Judea and
Samaria.”
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