US Voices Deep Concern over Israel's Plans to Approve Thousands of Settlements in Palestine

On Monday, the United States expressed profound concern over the Israeli government’s proposal to approve thousands of building permits in the occupied West Bank.

The US calls on Israel to engage in dialogue aimed at de-escalation rather than pursuing settlement expansion.

The Israeli Supreme Planning Council is set to discuss the approval of 4,560 housing units in various areas of the West Bank.

However, only 1,332 units are up for final approval, while the remaining units are still undergoing the preliminary clearance process.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also holds a defense portfolio with a leading role in West Bank administration, emphasized the Israeli government’s intention to continue developing settlements and strengthening their hold on the territory.

The international community widely considers the settlements, built on land captured by Israel in 1967, as illegal. The presence of these settlements remains a fundamental issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Palestinians aim to establish an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital. However, peace talks brokered by the United States have been stagnant since 2014.

The US State Department has expressed deep concern regarding the latest Israeli move, which contradicts US efforts to halt settlement expansion perceived as an obstacle to peace. The US urges Israel to resume dialogue focused on de-escalation.

The United States reaffirms its longstanding policy of opposing unilateral actions that hinder the achievement of a two-state solution and serve as obstacles to peace.

In a statement, Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the US State Department, expressed this position regarding Israel’s recent tabling of plans to approve thousands of building permits in the occupied West Bank.

Since assuming office in January, the nationalist-religious coalition government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already approved over 7,000 new housing units, with many located deep within the West Bank.

Additionally, a law was amended to enable settlers to return to four settlements that had been evacuated previously.

In response to Israel’s decision, the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in parts of the West Bank, announced its boycott of a joint economic committee meeting with Israel scheduled for Monday.

Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group governing Gaza since 2007 after Israel’s withdrawal of soldiers and settlers, condemned the move, emphasizing that it would not grant Israel legitimacy over Palestinian land and vowing to resist by all means necessary.

On the other hand, Jewish settler groups welcomed the announcement, applauding the continued construction and development in areas such as Judea and Samaria (West Bank) and the Jordan Valley.

Shlomo Ne’eman, the mayor of the Gush Etzion regional council and chairman of the Yesha Council, expressed support for the settlement expansion, using Israel’s biblical names for the West Bank.

The situation highlights the divergent reactions and ongoing tensions surrounding settlement activities in the West Bank, further complicating the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the pursuit of a peaceful resolution.