Jerusalem, Feb 17: An Israeli parliamentary committee has approved transferring USD 21.55 million to settlements in the West Bank and to settler projects in East Jerusalem, Israeli media reported. Over half the sum (12.5 million dollars) will be used for loans for the establishment of 200 housing units, while 8.1 million dollars will be channelled to ''countryside construction'', which includes settlements outside major cities. A further 1.1 million dollars will be used to finance security of settler projects in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem. Due to a finance ministry dictum that every new budget item has to come at the expense of another, the transfer is being funded in part by cuts to funds allocated for the homeless and for public housing, reports said. The decision of the Knesset (parliament) finance committee passed by one vote with abstentions by two coalition representatives, who reportedly oppose investment in the occupied territories. Bureau Report