Israel plans major West Bank settlement expansion despite legality concerns
Israel's Finance Minister approved plans to build over 2,000 new homes in three West Bank settlements, defying international condemnation.Summary
Israel's hardline Finance Minister Bezalel Yoel Smotrich announced on Wednesday the approval of 2,162 new Jewish homes in three West Bank settlements. The expansion includes 1,006 units near Jerusalem, 922 near Nablus, and 234 near Hebron. Smotrich stated the construction would "strengthen our hold on the land, reinforce Israel's security, and establish clear facts on the ground." Most nations consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law and a major obstacle to a two-state solution. Palestinians, who want the West Bank as part of a future independent state, condemned the announcement as "provocative" and called on the U.S. to stop the Israeli "madness." The move comes amid heightened tensions, with Smotrich vowing to wage "war" on the Palestinian Authority following reports of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant.
(Source：The Hindu)