Smotrich announces 22 new Israeli settlements in occupied West Bank

Israel’s far-right government has approved 22 new illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Bezalal Smotrich, the far-right finance minister, wrote on X that the settlements would be located in the northern West Bank, without specifying further.

Israeli media reported, citing the defence ministry, that existing “outposts” would be legalised and new settlements would also be built.

“This is a great day for settlement and an important day for the State of Israel. Through hard work and tenacious leadership, we have succeeded in creating a profound strategic change, returning the State of Israel to a path of construction, Zionism, and vision,” Smotrich said on X.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said it was a “dangerous escalation”. 

“This extremist Israeli government is trying by all means to prevent the establishment of an independent Palestinian state,” he told Reuters.

B’Tselem, a prominent Israeli human rights organisation, accused the Israeli government of “Jewish supremacy through the theft of Palestinian land and the ethnic cleansing of the West Bank.”

Around 700,000 Israeli settlers live among 2.7 million Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, in violation of international law. 

Britain, France and Canada earlier this month warned Israel that ic could impose sanctions if Israel continued to expand settlement in the West Bank.