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Israel's defense cabinet has given its endorsement to the recognition of 19 new settlements in the contested Palestinian territories, signaling a ongoing drive for settlement expansion.

Hardline Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a settler who proposed the move together with Defence Minister Israel Katz, asserted that the move was intended for blocking the formation of a sovereign Palestine.

It is important to note that Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are considered in violation of international law.

The decision has sparked criticism from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that Israel's "unceasing" growth of communities heightens frictions, restricts Palestinians' access to land, and undermines the feasibility of a sovereign Palestine.

Escalating Tensions and Diplomatic Repercussions

Clashes in the occupied West Bank has escalated since the war in the Gaza Strip began in the autumn of 2023, further heightening fears that settlement expansion could solidify Israel's occupation and undermine the possibility for a two-state solution.

The two-state solution refers to the formation of a State of Palestine in the Palestinian territories, with Jerusalem's eastern sector as its capital, largely along the borders that were in place prior to the 1967 Six-Day Arab-Israeli war.

Upon assuming leadership in late 2022, the current government in Jerusalem has significantly increased the authorization of fresh communities and initiated the legalisation process for informal settler outposts, recognising them as "extensions" of established communities.

Sustained Growth

The most recent decision takes the overall count of settlements recognized over the preceding 36 months to 69, as stated by the Finance Minister.

These authorizations are announced only a few days after the United Nations reported that construction in settlements had reached its peak since the year 2017.

The latest batch of authorizations includes the rebuilding of two communities — Ganim and Kadim — which were removed about 20 years ago.

Earlier this year, Israel approved 22 new settlements in the occupied West Bank - described as the biggest expansion in decades.

In a related development, the government also approved plans last summer to erect over three thousand housing units in the controversial E1 project between the capital and the Maale Adumim community, a plan that had been on hold for decades amid intense global opposition.

At that time, Smotrich said it would "bury the concept of a Palestinian state."

Population Facts and Global Response

Approximately seven hundred thousand Israeli settlers dwell in approximately one hundred and sixty settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, as per data from the Israeli monitoring organization Peace Now. This is territory that Palestinians seek for a future sovereign nation.

Settlement expansion has angered Arab states who have steadfastly contended it harms hopes for a peaceful two-state outcome.

It has furthermore sparked concerns about the possible incorporation of the occupied West Bank.

Former US President Donald Trump had previously cautioned Israel about this step, telling a publication that Israel would lose all its support from the United States if it happened.

In a policy change, the UK - together with other countries such as Australia and Canada - formally recognized a Palestinian state, a major although largely symbolic adjustment in government policy.

The Israeli government strongly rejected this recognition, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserting that a sovereign Palestine "is off the table."