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Israel's defense cabinet has voted to recognize the recognition of 19 new settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, signaling a sustained drive for settlement expansion.

Hardline Treasury Chief Bezalel Smotrich, who lives in a settlement and put forward the move in concert with Defense Chief Israel Katz, stated that the approval was intended for preventing the creation of a Palestinian state.

It is important to note that Jewish communities in the occupied West Bank are viewed as in violation of international law.

The move has sparked censure from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that Israel's "relentless" growth of communities fuels frictions, curtails Palestinians' access to territory, and undermines the prospects of a sovereign Palestine.

Rising Tensions and Political Repercussions

Clashes in the occupied West Bank has surged since the war in the Gaza Strip erupted in October 2023, further heightening apprehensions that settlement expansion could solidify the Israeli presence and damage the prospects for a two-state solution.

The concept of two states involves the establishment of a Palestinian state in the Palestinian territories, with Jerusalem's eastern sector as its capital, largely along the lines that existed before the 1967 Six-Day Middle East war.

Upon assuming leadership in late 2022, the present Israeli government has ramped up the authorization of fresh communities and begun the formal recognition for previously illegal outposts, designating them as "extensions" of existing communities.

A Pattern of Expansion

The most recent decision pushes the total number of settlements authorized over the past three years to 69, as stated by the Finance Minister.

These decisions come a short time after the United Nations reported that settlement expansion had reached its peak since the year 2017.

The latest batch of approvals encompasses the revival of a pair of communities — Ganim and Kadim — which were removed about in 2005.

Previously, the Israeli government gave the nod to 22 additional settlements in the territories - described as the most significant wave of approvals in decades.

Additionally, the government also approved projects in August to erect in excess of three thousand residences in the so-called E1 project between the capital and the Maale Adumim settlement, a initiative that had been on hold for decades amid intense global opposition.

Regarding that plan, Smotrich said it would "put to rest the idea of a Palestinian state."

Population Facts and Global Reactions

An estimated seven hundred thousand settlers reside in around one hundred and sixty communities in the occupied territories, according to the Israel-based monitoring organization Peace Now. This is land that Palestinians aspire to have for a prospective sovereign nation.

This ongoing construction has drawn ire from neighboring countries who have consistently said it harms chances for a two-state solution.

It has furthermore fueled fears about the potential annexing of the disputed territories.

Former American President Donald Trump had previously admonished Israel about such a move, telling TIME magazine that Israel would lose all its support from the United States if it happened.

Recently, the UK - together with other countries such as Australia and Canada - formally recognized a Palestinian state, a major although largely symbolic adjustment in government policy.

The Israeli government strongly rejected the move, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserting that a sovereign Palestine "will not happen."