Summary
Israeli ministers have approved 22 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, marking the largest expansion in decades, according to Defence Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. These settlements, many of which were previously unauthorized outposts, will be legalized under Israeli law, a move that the Israeli government argues prevents the establishment of a Palestinian state, while the Palestinian presidency condemns it as a “dangerous escalation.” The anti-settlement group Peace Now warns that this development will significantly reshape the West Bank and further entrench the occupation.
