Israeli ministers confirmed that many of the settlements will be retrospectively legalized, a step that escalates tensions with the Palestinians and raises international concerns over legality and occupation.
Israel Unveils Sweeping Settlement Expansion in West Bank
Israel Unveils Sweeping Settlement Expansion in West Bank
In a controversial move, Israel announces the approval of 22 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, marking the largest expansion in decades.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz emphasized that the expansion is vital for national security, while Palestinian leaders decry it as a harmful escalation that undermines peace efforts.
In a significant policy shift, Israeli officials have announced that 22 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank have been approved. This major expansion, touted as the largest in decades, includes numerous existing outposts that were previously unauthorized. According to Defence Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, these outposts will now receive legal status under Israeli law. The settlement issue remains one of the most contentious points of conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, with the international community largely viewing such actions as illegal—a claim Israel contests.
Katz justified the settlement expansion by asserting that it is essential to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state that could jeopardize Israel’s security. Conversely, the Palestinian presidency characterized the approval as a "dangerous escalation" that threatens the prospects for peace. The anti-settlement group Peace Now has warned that these new settlements will "dramatically reshape the West Bank" and further entrench the ongoing occupation.
Since Israel's occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the 1967 war, approximately 160 settlements housing around 700,000 Jews have been established in these areas, which Palestinians envision as part of their future state. The potential repercussions of this latest settlement approval could further complicate an already fraught relationship between Israelis and Palestinians, heightening fears of an enduring conflict.
In a significant policy shift, Israeli officials have announced that 22 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank have been approved. This major expansion, touted as the largest in decades, includes numerous existing outposts that were previously unauthorized. According to Defence Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, these outposts will now receive legal status under Israeli law. The settlement issue remains one of the most contentious points of conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, with the international community largely viewing such actions as illegal—a claim Israel contests.
Katz justified the settlement expansion by asserting that it is essential to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state that could jeopardize Israel’s security. Conversely, the Palestinian presidency characterized the approval as a "dangerous escalation" that threatens the prospects for peace. The anti-settlement group Peace Now has warned that these new settlements will "dramatically reshape the West Bank" and further entrench the ongoing occupation.
Since Israel's occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the 1967 war, approximately 160 settlements housing around 700,000 Jews have been established in these areas, which Palestinians envision as part of their future state. The potential repercussions of this latest settlement approval could further complicate an already fraught relationship between Israelis and Palestinians, heightening fears of an enduring conflict.
