The rightist Israeli Channel 7 television said that the bill, proposed by M.K. Yaakov Katz of rightist National Union Party and 24 co-sponsors, will come up for a vote in the Knesset after the Ministerial Committee for Legislation rejected it on Sunday.

The television quoted Katz as saying that he expects MKs of ruling Likud party to support the new legislation, just as they did previously.

According to the report, the bill would virtually block a freeze on building for Jewish occupiers in West Bank. The bill removes Defense Minister Ehud Barak's authority to approve hundreds of building requests in settlements and transfers it to the Housing Ministry's jurisdiction.

The report said that the Knesset Coalition Chairman Ze'ev Elkin of Likud put pressure on Katz to withdraw the bill yet again, so as to save Likud embarrassment. However, Katz refused, the report said.