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Israel's security cabinet has formally approved the formalization of nineteen new settlements in the occupied West Bank, marking a continued campaign for settlement expansion.

Hardline Treasury Chief Bezalel Smotrich, who lives in a settlement and proposed the step in concert with Defence Minister Israel Katz, stated that the approval was about preventing the formation of a Palestinian state.

Under international law, Israeli settlements in the disputed territories are deemed in violation of international law.

The decision has sparked condemnation from Saudi Arabia. The United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has said that Israel's "persistent" settlement expansion heightens tensions, limits Palestinian use of land, and threatens the feasibility of a sovereign Palestinian state.

Escalating Unrest and Diplomatic Repercussions

Violence in the region has surged since the war in the Gaza Strip began in the autumn of 2023, intensifying apprehensions that the growth of communities could entrench Israel's occupation and undermine the prospects for a two-state solution.

The concept of two states envisions the formation of a State of Palestine in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with Jerusalem's eastern sector as its capital, broadly along the borders that existed prior to the 1967 Six-Day Arab-Israeli war.

Since coming to power in 2022, the incumbent Israeli government has significantly increased the green-lighting of new settlements and begun the legalisation process for informal settler outposts, recognising them as "extensions" of established settlements.

Ongoing Expansion

The most recent approval pushes the cumulative figure of communities recognized over the last three years to 69, according to Smotrich.

These decisions come just days after the United Nations stated that settlement expansion had reached its most intense pace since 2017.

The most recent group of authorizations encompasses the rebuilding of a pair of settlements — Ganim and Kadim — which were dismantled almost 20 years ago.

Earlier this year, Israel gave the nod to twenty-two new settlements in the territories - what was the largest expansion in decades.

Additionally, the government gave the go-ahead for plans in August to build in excess of three thousand residences in the controversial E1 area between the capital and the Maale Adumim settlement, a plan that had been stalled for decades amid intense international objection.

At that time, Smotrich stated it would "put to rest the idea of a Palestinian state."

Population Realities and Global Response

Roughly 700,000 settlers reside in around 160 communities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to the Israeli monitoring organization Peace Now. This is territory that Palestinians seek for a prospective independent state.

This ongoing construction has angered neighboring countries who have steadfastly contended it undermines chances for a peaceful two-state outcome.

It has furthermore fueled fears about the possible annexing of the occupied West Bank.

Former American President Donald Trump had once warned the Israeli leadership about annexation, stating to a publication that Israel would lose its backing from the United States if it occurred.

Recently, the United Kingdom - together with other countries such as Australia and Canada - acknowledged a State of Palestine, a notable although primarily ceremonial adjustment in official stance.

The Israeli government opposed the move, with PM Benjamin Netanyahu declaring that a sovereign Palestine "is off the table."