JERUSALEM - An Israeli official says the government will compensate West Bank settlements and regional councils for damages incurred because of the slowdown in settlement construction.
Interior Ministry spokesman Roi Lachmanovich says the state will spend around US$10 million in total.
But he says settlements will be partially hurt because they won't receive revenues from families who would have come to live there -- had the construction proceeded.
This payment will be in addition to the compensation granted to individuals harmed by the slowdown.
The government declared a 10-month slowdown in West Bank in November under heavy pressure from the Obama administration.
Palestinians oppose all Israeli construction in the West Bank. They want the territory for their future Palestinian state.
