Israel approves 19 new Jewish settlements in occupied West Bank amid growing tensions

Tel Aviv (Web Desk): Israel’s security cabinet has approved the construction of 19 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. With this decision, the total number of Israeli settlements in the West Bank over the last three years has now reached 69.

According to Arab media, Israel’s far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, stated that the plan was presented in collaboration with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The primary objective of this initiative, he said, is to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Following the ongoing war in Gaza since October 2023, there has been an increase in violent incidents in the West Bank, leading to growing concerns that the new settlements will further solidify Israeli occupation and obstruct the path to a two-state solution.

The United Nations and the international community have condemned Israel’s settlement activities in the occupied West Bank as a violation of international law. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that Israel’s settlement policy is exacerbating tensions, limiting Palestinian access to land, and jeopardizing the possibility of establishing a sovereign Palestinian state.