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The nation's defense cabinet has given its endorsement to the formalization of nineteen new communities in the contested Palestinian territories, representing a sustained drive for community development.

Far-right Treasury Chief Bezalel Smotrich, a settler who advocated for the move together with Defense Chief Israel Katz, stated that the approval was about thwarting the creation of a Palestinian state.

Under international law, Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are considered in violation of international law.

The decision has sparked censure from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that Israel's "unceasing" settlement expansion exacerbates tensions, limits Palestinians' access to land, and jeopardizes the prospects of a sovereign Palestinian state.

Rising Unrest and Diplomatic Fallout

Violence in the occupied West Bank has increased sharply since the hostilities in Gaza erupted in October 2023, further heightening concerns that settlement expansion could deepen the Israeli presence and undermine the chance for a two-state solution.

The two-state solution refers to the formation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with Jerusalem's eastern sector as its seat of government, broadly along the borders that existed before the 1967 Middle East war.

Since taking office in 2022, the present government in Jerusalem has significantly increased the authorization of fresh communities and started the legalisation process for previously illegal settler outposts, classifying them as "neighbourhoods" of existing settlements.

A Pattern of Growth

The latest decision takes the overall count of settlements authorized over the last three years to sixty-nine, as stated by Minister Smotrich.

These approvals are announced a short time after the UN stated that settlement expansion had hit its peak since 2017.

The latest round of approvals features the rebuilding of two communities — Ganim and Kadim — which were removed nearly 20 years ago.

Previously, the Israeli government authorized twenty-two new communities in the territories - labeled as the biggest expansion in many years.

Additionally, the Israeli government also approved blueprints last summer to build over three thousand homes in the so-called E1 corridor between the capital and the Maale Adumim settlement, a project that had been frozen for decades amid intense international objection.

On that occasion, the Finance Minister said it would "put to rest the notion of a Palestinian state."

Population Facts and International Response

An estimated seven hundred thousand Israeli settlers reside in approximately 160 communities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to the Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now. This is territory that Palestinians aspire to have for a future sovereign nation.

Settlement expansion has angered Arab nations who have repeatedly argued it undermines chances for a peaceful two-state outcome.

It has also fueled concerns about the possible annexing of the occupied West Bank.

Former US President Donald Trump had previously admonished Israel about such a move, stating to a publication that the country would forfeit all its support from the US if it proceeded.

In a policy change, the UK - together with other countries such as Australia and Canada - formally recognized a State of Palestine, a significant although largely symbolic shift in official stance.

The Israeli government opposed the move, with PM Benjamin Netanyahu asserting that a sovereign Palestine "will not happen."