Israel's nationalist-religious government has announced its plans to approve thousands of building permits in the occupied West Bank, despite mounting pressure from the United States and international community to halt settlement expansion. The decision, which is viewed as a significant obstacle to achieving peace with the Palestinians, has triggered a wave of condemnation and raised concerns about the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to media reports.
The proposed approval includes 4,560 housing units in various areas of the West Bank, with 1,332 units up for final approval and the remainder going through the preliminary clearance process. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also plays a prominent role in West Bank administration, expressed the government's commitment to develop the settlements and strengthen Israeli control over the territory.
The international community largely considers the Israeli settlements, constructed on land captured by Israel during the 1967 Middle East war, as illegal. Settlement expansion has been a longstanding point of contention in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, undermining efforts to reach a peaceful resolution.
Palestinians aspire to establish an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital. However, peace talks brokered by the United States have remained frozen since 2014, further exacerbating the impasse.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government, in power since January, has consistently supported settlement expansion. With over 7,000 new housing units already approved, the government has demonstrated its commitment to further entrenching Israeli presence in the West Bank. Additionally, amendments were made to the law to facilitate the return of settlers to four previously evacuated settlements, further escalating tensions.
In response to the Israeli government's decision, the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in parts of the West Bank, declared its boycott of a scheduled meeting with Israel's Joint Economic Committee. The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, condemned the move, vowing to resist what they see as an encroachment on their land by any means necessary.
While the Israeli government faces international backlash and calls for restraint, Jewish settler groups have welcomed the announcement, applauding the continued construction and expansion of settlements in the West Bank. Shlomo Ne'eman, mayor of the Gush Etzion Regional Council and Chairman of the Yesha Council, emphasized the people's determination to build in what they refer to as Judea and Samaria, using the biblical names for the West Bank.
