The expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank is intended to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, said Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, DW reports.
The Israeli government has approved the construction of 19 more Jewish settlements in the West Bank, the office of Israel's Finance Minister, leader of the far-right "Religious Zionism" party Bezalel Smotrich, reported on Sunday, December 21.
The initiative was put forward by Smotrich himself and Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz. Thus, the number of Jewish settlements built in the West Bank in violation of international law is set to reach 69. Five of the 19 approved settlements already exist but have not yet been recognized under Israeli law, AFP explains. Two other settlements were demolished two decades ago and have now been rebuilt.
Bezalel Smotrich stated that this measure is intended to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, as Israel views this prospect as a threat to its security.
A number of countries around the world support the recognition of Palestinian statehood. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, during his visit to Israel in early December, also stated that he approves of such a plan. However, he noted that Germany is not ready to recognize such a state today.
Jewish Settlements in the West Bank
Israel took control of the West Bank during the Six-Day War in 1967. According to international law, the construction of Jewish settlements in these Palestinian territories is illegal.
Despite protests from the international community, Israel has built dozens of settlements in the West Bank over the past decades, where about 500,000 Jews reside. The Palestinian population of the territory is approximately 3 million people.
According to the UN, from January to December of this year, Israel has planned, approved, or announced tenders for the construction of 47,390 housing units in the West Bank. In comparison, from 2017 to 2022, Jewish settlements there expanded by an average of 12,815 housing units per year.
Hamas Attack on Israel and Its Consequences
The situation in the Middle East sharply escalated on October 7, 2023. The Hamas movement, designated as a terrorist organization by the European Union and the United States, launched a large-scale attack on Israel. Militants carried out a massive rocket strike on Israel, invaded its territory, and committed the deadliest massacre of civilians in the history of the modern Israeli state, killing around 1,200 people. Militants also took more than 250 hostages and transported them to the Gaza Strip. Some hostages were exchanged or released, while others were killed.
In response, Israel declared war on Hamas. During the ground operation and bombings of the Gaza Strip, more than 60,000 Palestinians were reported killed, with over 145,000 injured, according to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health. However, it does not specify how this statistic is compiled, particularly how many of the deceased were Islamist militants and whether deaths from natural causes among Palestinians in hospitals are included.
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