Israel Approves Nearly 800 New Settlement Units in the West Bank

Gaza, MINA – Israel has granted final approval for the construction of 764 new housing units across three settlements in the occupied West Bank, a decision announced Wednesday by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The move has triggered strong condemnation from the Palestinian Authority, which says the expansion undermines ongoing regional peace efforts.

Smotrich, a far-right nationalist who opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state, stated that since the beginning of his term in late 2022, the government’s Higher Planning Council has approved approximately 51,370 settlement units in the West Bank, territory Palestinians envision as part of their future independent state.

According to the Palestinian state news agency WAFA, the Palestinian Authority has urged the administration of US President Donald Trump to pressure Israel over its settlement expansion policies.

Presidential spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh called on Washington to “reverse Israel’s settlement policies, annexation attempts, and expansion, as well as the theft of Palestinian land, and to compel Israel to abide by international legitimacy and international law.”

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The newly approved units will be distributed among three settlements: Hashmonaim, located just beyond the Green Line in central Israel, and Givat Zeev and Beitar Illit near Jerusalem.

Most world powers consider Israeli settlements that built on land seized during the 1967 war, illegal under international law. Numerous UN Security Council resolutions have called on Israel to halt all settlement activities.

Wasel Abu Yousef, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), reiterated this position, telling Reuters: “For us, all settlements are illegal, and they violate all resolutions of international legitimacy.”

Israel argues that settlements are vital for its security, citing historical, religious, and political ties to the territory.

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Meanwhile, Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians continue to escalate. A UN report recorded at least 264 settler attacks across the West Bank in October, the highest monthly total since the UN began tracking such incidents in 2006.[]

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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