Settlement construction has continued under every Israeli government for decades. As of last year, more than 130 settlements had been built with permission from the Israeli government since 1967.
More than 100 unauthorized settlement outposts have been erected since the 1990s, and Israeli authorities are working to legalize many of them retroactively.
More … than 500,000 Israeli settlers Today, 100,000 Palestinians live in the West Bank, not counting another 200,000 in East Jerusalem, alongside more than 2.7 million Palestinians. Some of these settlements are inhabited by religious Zionists who consider this region their biblical birthright. Many secular and ultra-Orthodox Jews have also moved there, largely for cheaper housing.
This year, the Israeli government designated a record amount of land, approximately 6,000 acresas eligible for a settlement by March, another signal of Mr. Smotrich’s intention to deepen Israel’s grip on the West Bank.
In March, UN human rights chief Volker Türk condemned the rapid expansion of settlements after a UN report showed a “dramatic increase in intensity, severity and the regularity of Israeli settler and state violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including in the East.” Jerusalem, particularly since October 7, 2023, which accelerates the displacement of Palestinians from their land.”
Tor Wennesland, the UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, said on Tuesday that signs of accelerated settlement activity and the legalization of outposts undermine prospects for a two-state solution.
That appears to be the goal of Mr. Smotrich, who adamantly opposes the creation of a Palestinian state. He has said he would legalize additional outposts in response to any nation that announces recognition of a Palestinian state.
In the last two months, Spain, Ireland, Norway, Slovenia and Armenia have officially recognized an independent Palestinian stateIn a social media post Thursday, Mr. Smotrich said the final legalization of the settlements was underway. a response to these decisions.
“We will continue to expand the settlements to maintain Israel’s security and prevent the creation of a Palestinian state that would endanger our existence,” he said.
Maj. Gen. Yehuda Fox, head of Israel’s Central Command, responsible for the West Bank, said that since Mr. Smotrich took office, efforts to crack down on illegal settlement construction have diminished.to the point that it disappeared.”
Aaron Boxerman contribution to the report.
