The Israeli government has approved the establishment of 22 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, marking the most significant expansion in decades. According to Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, many of these settlements were previously unauthorized outposts that will now receive legal status under Israeli law, while others are entirely new.
Settlements are a contentious issue, viewed as illegal under international law, although the Israeli government contests this view. Katz justified the expansion as a measure to prevent a Palestinian state, claiming such a state would threaten Israel’s security. In response, the Palestinian presidency condemned the decision as a “dangerous escalation.”
Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now labeled the decision as the most extensive of its kind in over thirty years, warning it will further entrench the occupation and alter the landscape of the West Bank. Approximately 160 settlements currently accommodate around 700,000 Jewish residents, while about 3.3 million Palestinians reside in proximity.
This settlement expansion comes amid a rise in settlement growth since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assumed power in late 2022, particularly following the outbreak of the Gaza conflict in October 2023. Although details regarding specific locations of the new settlements remain scarce, early indications suggest they will span various regions of the West Bank.
Source: www.bbc.com
