Israel establishes 22 additional settlements within the West Bank region.
Israel Intends to Establish 22 New West Bank Settlements
JERUSALEM — Israel has confirmed plans to create 22 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, according to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The decision follows a meeting of Israel's Security Cabinet, as reported by several local media outlets. Smotrich characterized the move as a significant day for the settlement project, whereas Defense Minister Israel Katz described it as historic.
The proposed settlements would be constructed in territories illegal under international law, with over 700,000 Israeli settlers residing among an estimated three million Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem — territories claimed by the Palestinians for their future state with East Jerusalem as its capital. The Israeli settlements have long been criticized by the international community as a major roadblock to a potential two-state solution.
The Israeli peace movement Peace Now has harshly criticized the government's decision, describing it as the largest settlement expansion in decades. The expansion reportedly involves the legalization of numerous existing outposts without government approval, as well as the establishment of new settlements. The peace movement further asserted that this move will severely alter the West Bank and further entrench the occupation, with the Israeli government seemingly embracing annexation and expansion as its main objectives.
Criticism of the decision also extends beyond Israel, with the United Kingdom condemning the measures. The British Foreign Office stated that the settlements are illegal under international law and will not contribute to a lasting peace or the protection of Israel.
The recent Israeli settlement expansion highlights ongoing tensions between Israel and Palestine, with the international community continuing to challenge Israel's domestic settlement policies that conflict with international law.
The service of establishing 22 new settlements in the West Bank, as announced by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, has sparked heated discussions on politics and general news, with Peace Now criticism terming it a historic alteration of the West Bank, further cementing occupation and shifting objectives towards annexation and expansion. The move has also garnered criticism from the international community, with the United Kingdom calling out the settlements as illegal under international law and detrimental to a lasting peace or the protection of Israel.
