Israel Approves New West Bank Settlements, Dimming Prospects for Two-State Solution
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Israel’s security cabinet recently authorized the recognition of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, escalating tensions and drawing international condemnation. The move, spearheaded by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defence Minister Israel Katz, is openly framed as an effort to prevent the establishment of a future Palestinian state.
The decision comes amid a surge in violence in the West Bank since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023, and is widely viewed as a significant setback for the two-state solution – the internationally recognized framework for peace that envisions an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Expanding Israeli Presence in Occupied Territory
According to Smotrich, the approvals bring the total number of settlements greenlit over the past three years to 69. This represents a dramatic increase in settlement activity since the current Israeli government took office in 2022, with a focus on both new construction and the legalization of previously unauthorized outposts, often reclassifying them as “neighbourhoods” of existing settlements.
The latest expansion includes the re-establishment of two settlements – Ganim and Kadim – which were dismantled nearly two decades ago. These approvals followed a previous decision in May to approve 22 new settlements, marking the largest expansion in decades. In August, plans were also approved to build over 3,000 homes in the controversial E1 project, a corridor between Jerusalem and the Maale Adumim settlement that has been frozen for years due to international opposition. Smotrich stated at the time that the E1 project would “bury the idea of a Palestinian state.”
International Condemnation and Concerns
The international community has reacted swiftly and negatively to Israel’s actions. Saudi Arabia condemned the move, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that Israel’s “relentless” settlement expansion fuels tensions, restricts Palestinian access to land, and jeopardizes the viability of a sovereign Palestinian state.
Israeli settlements are considered illegal under international law, a point consistently emphasized by the United Nations and many governments worldwide. The expansion raises concerns about the potential for the annexation of the occupied West Bank, a move that would further complicate any future peace negotiations.
Shifting Global Recognition of Palestine
Despite Israel’s opposition, several countries – including the UK, Australia, and Canada – recognized a Palestinian state in September, signaling a symbolic but significant shift in international policy. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by stating that a Palestinian state “will not happen.”
The current situation underscores a growing divergence between international efforts to preserve the two-state solution and the stated policies of the Israeli government. Approximately 700,000 settlers currently reside in roughly 160 settlements across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, land Palestinians claim for a future independent state, according to the Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now.
The recent surge in settlement approvals, coming just days after the United Nations reported that settlement expansion had reached its highest level since 2017, suggests a continued commitment to expanding Israeli control over the occupied territories, further diminishing the prospects for a lasting peace agreement.
