Arabic version: إسرائيل تخطط لبناء أكثر من 2000 منزل في توسيع مستوطنات مثير للجدل
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has announced a plan to expand illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank by constructing 2,162 new homes. This initiative, revealed on Wednesday, follows the approval of a planning committee and includes the establishment of new housing units near key cities such as Jerusalem, Nablus, and Hebron. According to Al Jazeera, the plan includes 1,006 homes in a new settlement near Jerusalem, 922 near Nablus, and 234 near Hebron.
Smotrich stated that the construction of these homes aims to reinforce Israel’s claim to the land and enhance security measures. He emphasized that the initiative would establish “clear facts on the ground” to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, which he referred to as an “Arab terror state.”
The announcement has drawn sharp criticism from Palestinian officials, including President Mahmoud Abbas, who condemned the move as “provocative” and warned that it could escalate violence in the region. Abbas’s office urged the United States to intervene and halt what they termed Israeli “madness.”
Internationally, the expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank is widely regarded as illegal under international law and has faced condemnation from various nations. Smotrich himself has been sanctioned by the United Kingdom, France, and other countries for his inflammatory rhetoric against Palestinians. Despite these sanctions, he has maintained that they will not alter Israeli policy regarding settlements.
In related developments, reports indicate that Israeli forces have issued demolition notices to shops in Bazariya, northwest of Nablus, as part of a scheme to create a colonial road. Additionally, settlers were reported to have invaded the village of Deir Sudan, northwest of Ramallah, accompanied by bulldozers to seize land. These actions follow a recent Israeli government decision to register land as “state property” if Palestinians cannot provide proof of ownership.
