Israel mulls rail link to West Bank settlement

Israel is considering building a rail link to the sprawling Jewish settlement of Ariel, which lies deep inside the occupied West Bank, a transport ministry spokesman told AFP on Friday.

The spokesman stressed that it was only one of a number of projects under consideration but the right-wing Maariv daily said three million shekels ($800,000) had been allocated for a feasibility study.

The proposed rail line would link the town of Rosh Ha Ayin, east of Tel Aviv, with Ariel and also serve Barkan, another settlement.

The idea was first mooted a few months ago by Transport Minister Israel Katz of the right-wing Likud party of hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"No operational decision has been taken at this stage," the ministry spokesman told AFP. "It's just one among a number of proposals."