There is no sign of a slowdown in the construction of homes for Jewish settlers in the West Bank despite Israel’s revelation that it has stopped approving new building, the Israeli settlement watchdog Peace Now said in a report issued over the weekend.

Under U.S. pressure to freeze settlements, Israel indicated recently it had stopped green-lighting new construction projects, part of an attempt to bridge the gap between the two allies.

But while Peace Now confirms the freeze on approval for new projects, the group’s report says settlement construction is continuing and that settlers can easily build thousands of housing units based on old plans that have already been approved.

“There is no settlement freeze,” Peace Now leader Yariv Oppenheimer said.

— ap