Israel Launches Largest Settlement Expansion in Decades

The controversial decision marks a significant shift in Israeli policy, sparking outrage among Palestinians and international observers.

Israeli authorities have officially announced the approval of 22 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, representing the most significant expansion in decades. Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich confirmed that several existing outposts, previously established without government permission, will be recognized as legal under Israeli law. This development comes amidst ongoing disputes over settlements, which are largely viewed as illegal by the international community, a stance Israel vehemently rejects. Katz has argued that this expansion blocks the establishment of a Palestinian state, which he claims poses a threat to Israel's security. In response, the Palestinian presidency condemned the decision, labeling it a "dangerous escalation" in an already fraught conflict. The anti-settlement group Peace Now criticized the move, asserting it would significantly alter the landscape of the West Bank and further entrench Israeli occupation. Israel's settlement policy has seen approximately 160 settlements established since the occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem began after the 1967 Middle East war, leading to a population of around 700,000 Israeli Jews in these areas, which Palestinians lay claim to for a future state.