Israel’s Defense Ministry approved the building of 277 new housing units in Ariel settlement, southwest of Nablus in the northern West Bank, to absorb new settlers. The ministry had already approved the building of 100 settlement units to absorb settlers that were evicted from the Gaza Strip, the Yediot Ahronot daily reported today. Israeli Interior Minister, Eli Yishai, also gave final authorization to build 4300 residential units in occupied Jerusalem in an attempt to solve the housing crisis facing Israel.