Canada and 13 other nations jointly criticized the Israeli security cabinet’s recent endorsement of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank. The coalition emphasized that such unilateral actions, coupled with an overall escalation of settlement policies in the region, not only breach international law but also pose a risk of escalating tensions.
The Israeli cabinet’s announcement last Sunday approved the construction of 19 additional settlements, bringing the total number of new settlements authorized in recent years to 69, as confirmed by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a proponent of West Bank expansion.
This move signifies a nearly 50% rise in the number of settlements in the West Bank under the current far-right administration. In 2022, there were 141 settlements in the West Bank, which has now increased to 210, according to the anti-settlement monitoring group, Peace Now.
The international community widely deems these settlements as illegal under international law. The approval of these settlements, as disclosed by Smotrich’s office, was granted on December 11 but kept confidential until Sunday.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand expressed condemnation for the decision, highlighting the violation of international law and the jeopardization of peace efforts, including the 20 Point Peace Plan. The expansion of settlements undermines the vision of a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians coexisting peacefully.
These developments occur amidst U.S. efforts to advance the Gaza ceasefire’s second phase, initiated on October 10. The U.S.-mediated plan aims to establish a potential pathway to a Palestinian state, a goal impeded by the expansion of settlements.
The cabinet’s resolution also entails retroactive legalization of previously established settlement outposts or neighborhoods within existing settlements, along with the creation of settlements on Palestinian-evacuated land, as per Israel’s Finance Ministry. Settlements vary in size, ranging from individual dwellings to high-rise complexes.
The Finance Ministry disclosed that two of the settlements approved in the latest decision, Kadim and Ganim, were among the four settlements disbanded in 2005 during Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Following the repeal of a 2005 law prohibiting resettlement in these areas, numerous attempts have been made to reestablish these settlements.
