Israel’s Gov’t Pushes Ahead With West Bank Settlement Expansion Despite US Objections

Despite pressure from the US to halt settlement expansion, Israel’s nationalist-religious government proposed plans to authorize thousands of new building permits in the West Bank on Sunday. The agenda for Israel’s Supreme Planning Council meeting next week includes approval for 4,560 housing units across various West Bank areas. However, only 1,332 of these are slated for final approval, with the remainder in preliminary clearance stages.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who holds a portfolio in the Defense Ministry that oversees the administration of West Bank settlements, vowed to continue strengthening Israel’s grip on the territory.

The planned settlements are deemed illegal by most nations, as they are on land Israel seized during the 1967 Middle East war. The presence of these settlements is a core issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Since Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s coalition came into power in January, more than 7,000 new housing units have been approved, predominantly deep within the West Bank. The government also revised legislation, paving the way for settlers to return to four previously evacuated settlements.

The Palestinian Authority announced a boycott of a Joint Economic Committee meeting with Israel on Monday in response to the decision.