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Israel's defense cabinet has voted to recognize the recognition of nineteen new communities in the disputed West Bank, representing a continued drive for settlement expansion.

Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who lives in a settlement and advocated for the move alongside Defence Minister Israel Katz, asserted that the decision was about thwarting the establishment of a sovereign Palestine.

It is important to note that Israeli settlements in the disputed territories are considered in violation of international law.

The announcement has sparked condemnation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has commented that Israel's "relentless" settlement expansion exacerbates tensions, limits Palestinian use of land, and jeopardizes the feasibility of a sovereign Palestine.

Rising Tensions and Diplomatic Repercussions

Clashes in the region has escalated since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, adding to concerns that settlement expansion could solidify Israel's occupation and weaken the chance for a two-state solution.

The concept of two states refers to the establishment of a State of Palestine in the Palestinian territories, with East Jerusalem as its seat of government, largely along the borders that were in place prior to the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

Since taking office in late 2022, the incumbent Israeli government has significantly increased the approval of new settlements and started the process of legalization for previously illegal settler outposts, designating them as "suburbs" of established communities.

Sustained Growth

The latest decision brings the overall count of communities authorized over the past three years to 69, as stated by Smotrich.

These decisions arrive just days after the United Nations reported that settlement expansion had hit its peak since 2017.

The most recent batch of authorizations features the re-establishment of a pair of communities — Ganim and Kadim — which were evacuated nearly 20 years ago.

Earlier this year, Israel approved 22 new communities in the territories - what was the most significant wave of approvals in decades.

Furthermore, the Israeli government also approved blueprints last summer to erect over 3,000 homes in the controversial E1 corridor between Jerusalem and the Maale Adumim settlement, a plan that had been on hold for decades amid intense foreign objection.

At that time, Smotrich said it would "bury the idea of a Palestinian state."

Population Realities and International Response

An estimated 700,000 Israeli settlers reside in about one hundred and sixty communities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, as per data from the Israeli monitoring organization Peace Now. This is territory that the Palestinian people envision for a future sovereign nation.

Settlement expansion has provoked Arab nations who have steadfastly argued it erodes hopes for a peaceful two-state outcome.

It has also sparked concerns about the possible formal annexation of the occupied West Bank.

Ex- US President Donald Trump had once admonished the Israeli leadership about this step, stating to TIME magazine that Israel would lose its backing from the United States if it proceeded.

In a diplomatic shift, the United Kingdom - joined by other countries including Australia and Canada - formally recognized a Palestinian state, a significant although largely symbolic change in government policy.

Israel strongly rejected this step, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserting that a sovereign Palestine "is not going to occur."