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The nation's top security body has formally approved the formalization of nineteen fresh communities in the occupied West Bank, signaling a ongoing drive for settlement expansion.

Far-right Treasury Chief Bezalel Smotrich, a settler who advocated for the step together with Defense Chief Israel Katz, declared that the move was intended for thwarting the establishment of a Palestinian state.

It is important to note that Jewish communities in the disputed territories are viewed as in violation of international law.

The decision has sparked criticism from Saudi Arabia. The United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has commented that Israel's "relentless" growth of communities fuels tensions, limits Palestinians' access to land, and jeopardizes the prospects of a independent Palestinian state.

Increased Tensions and Diplomatic Fallout

Violence in the occupied West Bank has escalated since the war in Gaza started in October 2023, intensifying fears that settlement expansion could solidify the Israeli presence and weaken the chance for a two-state solution.

The two-state solution involves the establishment of a Palestinian state in the Palestinian territories, with Jerusalem's eastern sector as its seat of government, largely along the borders that existed before the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

Upon assuming leadership in late 2022, the present Israeli government has greatly accelerated the green-lighting of fresh communities and begun the legalisation process for informal settler outposts, recognising them as "extensions" of existing settlements.

Sustained Growth

The most recent decision takes the total number of communities authorized over the past three years to 69, as stated by the Finance Minister.

These approvals come only a few days after the United Nations reported that construction in settlements had hit its peak since the year 2017.

The newest batch of authorizations features the revival of a pair of communities — Ganim and Kadim — which were dismantled nearly 20 years ago.

Previously, Israel gave the nod to twenty-two new settlements in the occupied West Bank - described as the biggest wave of approvals in decades.

In a related development, the Israeli government also approved blueprints last summer to build in excess of 3,000 residences in the so-called E1 project between Jerusalem and the Maale Adumim settlement, a plan that had been stalled for many years amid strong international condemnation.

On that occasion, the Finance Minister said it would "put to rest the concept of a Palestinian state."

Population Facts and Global Response

An estimated 700,000 Israeli settlers dwell in around one hundred and sixty settlements in the occupied territories, according to the Israel-based anti-settlement group Peace Now. This is territory that the Palestinian people envision for a prospective sovereign nation.

Settlement expansion has provoked Arab nations who have repeatedly said it erodes prospects for a peaceful two-state outcome.

It has furthermore sparked concerns about the eventual annexing of the disputed territories.

Former American President Donald Trump had once cautioned Israel about annexation, stating to TIME magazine that the country would forfeit its backing from the United States if it happened.

Recently, the UK - together with other countries such as Australia and Canada - recognised a State of Palestine, a major although primarily ceremonial adjustment in official stance.

The Israeli government strongly rejected this step, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declaring that a Palestinian state "is not going to occur."