Israel has announced plans to formalise 22 illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, including legalising unauthorised outposts. The move, announced by Defence Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, has been widely condemned by Palestinian officials and rights groups.
Katz described the decision as a strategic effort to secure Israeli control of what he termed “Judea and Samaria,” and to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Likud party said it was a “once-in-a-generation decision” to strengthen Israel’s eastern border with Jordan.
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The occupied West Bank is home to more than three million Palestinians and roughly 500,000 Israeli settlers. The Palestinian Authority considers the area an integral part of a future state, along with East Jerusalem and Gaza.
Palestinian presidential spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh called the move a “dangerous escalation” and a direct challenge to international law and United Nations resolutions. Human rights groups echoed these concerns, warning of heightened tensions in the region.
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