Israeli ministers say that 22 new Jewish colonies have been approved in occupied West Bank – the greatest expansion in decades.
Several already exist in the form of outposts, built without authorization from the government, but will now be legal under Israeli law, according to the Minister of Defense Israel Katz and the Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich.
The question of colonies – which are largely considered illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this – is one of the most controversial areas between Israel and the Palestinians.
Katz said that this decision “prevents the creation of a Palestinian state that would endanger Israel”, while the Palestinian presidency called it “dangerous escalation”.
The Israeli Watchdog Anti-Establishment Peace has now declared that the new colonies “would considerably reshape the West Bank and further strengthen the occupation”.
Israel has built around 160 colonies housing some 700,000 Jews since he occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem – Land that the Palestinians wish within the framework of a future state – in the Middle East war of 1967.
