Israel's security cabinet has approved the recognition of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank as the government continues its settlement expansion push.
Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a settler who proposed the move alongside Defence Minister Israel Katz, stated that this decision is aimed at blocking the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are considered illegal under international law.
Saudi Arabia has condemned the move, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has remarked that Israel's relentless settlement expansion fuels tensions, restricts Palestinian access to land, and threatens the viability of a sovereign Palestinian state.
Violence in the occupied West Bank has surged since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, raising fears that settlement expansion could entrench Israel's occupation and undermine the two-state solution.
The two-state solution refers to the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, using East Jerusalem as its capital, based on lines that existed prior to the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
Since taking office in 2022, the current Israeli government has significantly increased the approval of new settlements and initiated the legalisation process for unauthorized outposts, recognizing them as neighbourhoods of existing settlements.
This latest decision means a total of 69 settlements have been approved in the last three years, according to Smotrich.
The approvals come shortly after the United Nations stated that settlement expansion has reached its highest level since 2017.
Included in the recent approvals is the re-establishment of two settlements—Ganim and Kadim—which were dismantled nearly 20 years ago.
In May, Israel approved 22 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, marking the most extensive expansion in decades.
The Israeli government also approved plans in August to build over 3,000 homes in the controversial E1 project situated between Jerusalem and the Maale Adumim settlement, a plan that had been postponed for years due to intense international opposition.
Smotrich stated that this plan will bury the idea of a Palestinian state.
Approximately 700,000 settlers live in around 160 settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem according to the Israeli anti-settlement organization, Peace Now. This territory is sought by Palestinians for an independent state.
The expansion of settlements has prompted backlash from Arab states, who argue it undermines the prospects for a two-state solution, raising concerns about the potential annexation of the occupied West Bank.
Notably, US President Donald Trump had warned Israel against any such moves, suggesting that it risks losing US support.
In a significant but symbolic shift, the UK, along with allies such as Australia and Canada, formally recognized a Palestinian state in September. Israel opposed this recognition with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserting that a Palestinian state will not happen.
