Study: Israel Settlers Have Enough Houses

A U.S. government survey made public Tuesday casts doubt on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claims that more settlement construction is needed in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The survey, reported by the Israeli daily Haaretz newspaper, found that 26 percent of homes in West Bank settlements and 56 percent in the Gaza Strip are vacant.

A U.S. official, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, confirmed the figures.

Netanyahu said the survey was “false by an order of magnitude, to put it mildly.” He had no exact figure for how many homes are empty.