Israel has declared its intention to build 22 new settlements across the occupied West Bank, including the formal approval of previously unauthorized outposts.
The decision was announced Thursday and is seen as a major expansion of Israeli presence in the territory captured during the 1967 war.
Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the move strengthens Israel’s control over the area, referring to it by its biblical names, Judea and Samaria.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also confirmed the plan, saying it would enhance Israel’s hold on the eastern front, boost national security, and prevent the creation of a Palestinian state.
The newly announced settlements will span the north, center, and south of the West Bank, including four positioned near the Jordanian border. Some of the areas to be rebuilt include former settlements like Homesh and Sa-Nur, which were evacuated in 2005 during Israel’s disengagement from Gaza.
The Israeli government, considered the most hardline in its history, says the plan is a strategic response to Palestinian attacks and a fulfilment of what it views as a historic right to the land.
Palestinian groups, including Hamas, condemned the move, calling it a direct attempt to Judaize Palestinian land and a breach of international law. Human rights groups argue that this step further entrenches the occupation and eliminates prospects for a future Palestinian state.
Over 500,000 settlers currently live in the West Bank among nearly 3 million Palestinians, under Israeli military control. The decision comes just ahead of a planned international conference aimed at reviving the two-state solution.
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