Israel’s hardline finance minister announced on Wednesday a major expansion of more than 2,000 homes across three Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, a land Palestinians hope will form part of a future independent state.
Bezalel Smotrich, who holds authority over parts of Israel’s civilian administration in the West Bank, said a planning committee approved the construction of 2,162 new Jewish homes.
1,006 units in a new settlement near Jerusalem and 922 near the Palestinian city of Nablus and 234 near Hebron.
Most nations consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law and a major obstacle to a two-state solution.
“We are continuing to build the Land of Israel in practice,” said Smotrich, an ultranationalist sanctioned by Britain, France and others who accuse him of inciting violence against Palestinians.
The new homes would “strengthen our hold on the land, reinforce Israel’s security, and establish clear facts on the ground that prevent the creation of an Arab terror state in the heart of the country,” he said, without specifying when construction would begin.
Smotrich has denounced the sanctions against him, saying they would not change Israeli policy.
A Deepening Grip On The West Bank
Since becoming a minister three years ago, Smotrich has sought to tighten Israel’s control and presence in the West Bank while advocating against the idea of a Palestinian state.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government has overseen the significant expansion of Jewish settlements and the establishment of new ones.
Around half a million Israelis now live in the West Bank among about 3 million Palestinians.
Independence Aspirations And International Reaction
Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future independent state that includes East Jerusalem and Gaza.
Condemning Wednesday’s announcement, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ office warned that Israel’s “provocative” policies were pushing the region toward more rounds of violence and called on the U.S. to stop the Israeli “madness.”
U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has been far less critical of fast-expanding Israeli settlements than its predecessors.
However, Trump said last September he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank, angering some right-wing Israeli lawmakers.
The United Arab Emirates has also publicly warned the Israeli government against annexation.
Smotrich’s Escalating Posture
Smotrich on May 19 said he would wage “war” on the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited civic rule in the West Bank, after saying he had been told the International Criminal Court prosecutor had sought a confidential arrest warrant against him. The ICC has not confirmed that.
(with input from Reuters)
