Israel approves 22 settlements in the West Bank, the largest figure in more than 30 years
The Israeli Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich, confirmed Thursday that the Israeli government approved 22 new settlements in occupied West Bank, which the NGO Peace Now describes as the widest measure of this type from the 1993 OSLO agreements, when Israel promised not to establish new settlements, illegal according to international law.
“We lead a historical decision for settlements: 22 new settlements in Judea and Samaria (the biblical name for the West Bank, used by the Israeli government), the renewal of settlements in northern Samaria and the strengthening of the Eastern Boulevard of the State of Israel, its protective wall,” the minister published in his X account.
Smotrich, in addition to being Minister of Finance, occupies a position in the Ministry of Defense with responsibility for civil matters in the Palestinian Territories of Bank, and has advocated the expansion of illegal settlements and the construction of new colonies.
“This is a great day for settlements and an important day for the state of Israel,” Smotrich added. “We do not take others, but the inheritance of our ancestors.”
According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretzthe approval of the settlements occurred two weeks ago but the government did not report it until now, one day after this same newspaper advanced that it had done it “in secret.”
The newspaper indicates that within these 22 settlements are 9 outpost, the term in English with which the first constructions established by settlers are described to found a new settlement.
Some of the new ones, they add, are located in remote areas within the West Bank such as Mount Ebal, a hill in which there were no settlements between the Palestinian cities of Nablus and SA Nur.
In a statement, the Israeli NGO Peace Now, which investigates and monitors the proliferation of colonies in the Palestinian territory, said that the approval of these settlements demonstrates that “the annexation of the occupied territories and the expansion of the settlements” are the “main objective” of the Government of Benjamín Netanyahu.
The group indicates that it is the measure of this most extensive type from the 1993 OSLO agreements, which divided the Palestinian territory into three zones and stipulated the gradual withdrawal of the Israeli troops, which has not happened. And he adds that “it will drastically transform the West Bank and consolidate the occupation further.”
“At a time when both Israeli public opinion and the entire world demand the immediate end of the war, the government makes clear, once again and without reservations, which prefers to deepen the occupation and advance in de facto annexation rather than seek peace,” says Peace Now.
Under international standards, any settlement in militarily occupied territory is considered illegal, as occurs with the West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, but under the Israeli law most of the colonies in that area are legalized, although the Colonus movement is also installed in this area without prior authorization. (EFE)
