Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Thursday that a plan to expand settlements in occupied East Jerusalem has been approved, though a procedural step remains. The minister’s statement highlights the continued prioritization of Israeli settlement expansion as a key policy objective, despite international condemnation and the unresolved status of Palestinian statehood.
The proposed expansion centers around the Gush Etzion area, where several Jewish communities are planned to be established. Smotrich emphasized that the plan aims to consolidate Israeli sovereignty over the region, which is considered a core part of the West Bank. This move is seen as a direct challenge to the viability of a future Palestinian state, as it significantly reduces the territory available for potential statehood.
International observers have expressed concern over the implications of this expansion, noting that it deepens the divide between Israelis and Palestinians and undermines ongoing peace negotiations. The United Nations has repeatedly called for a halt to settlement activities, arguing that they are an obstacle to achieving a two-state solution.