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Israel's defense cabinet has formally approved the formalization of nineteen new settlements in the occupied West Bank, marking a ongoing push for community development.

Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who lives in a settlement and put forward the measure together with Defense Chief Israel Katz, declared that the decision was intended for blocking the establishment of a sovereign Palestine.

It is important to note that Israeli settlements in the disputed territories are viewed as illegal.

The move has drawn condemnation from Saudi Arabia. The United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has commented that Israel's "unceasing" growth of communities exacerbates tensions, restricts Palestinians' access to land, and jeopardizes the viability of a independent Palestine.

Escalating Unrest and Political Repercussions

Unrest in the region has escalated since the hostilities in Gaza started in October 2023, intensifying fears that settlement expansion could entrench the Israeli presence and weaken the chance for a two-state solution.

The concept of two states involves the formation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with Jerusalem's eastern sector as its seat of government, broadly along the boundaries that existed prior to the 1967 Middle East war.

Since taking office in 2022, the incumbent Israeli government has greatly accelerated the authorization of new settlements and initiated the process of legalization for unauthorised outposts, recognising them as "suburbs" of established settlements.

Sustained Growth

The latest approval pushes the cumulative figure of settlements approved over the last three years to 69, per the figures from the Finance Minister.

These decisions are announced just days after the United Nations reported that settlement expansion had reached its most intense pace since the year 2017.

The newest round of approvals features the revival of a pair of settlements — Ganim and Kadim — which were dismantled almost two decades ago.

In a previous move, the Israeli government gave the nod to 22 new communities in the territories - described as the biggest expansion in many years.

Furthermore, the government sanctioned plans last summer to construct more than three thousand residences in the controversial E1 corridor between the capital and the Maale Adumim community, a initiative that had been stalled for decades amid fierce foreign objection.

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

Demographic Facts and International Response

Roughly 700,000 settlers live in around 160 settlements in the occupied territories, as per data from the Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now. This is territory that the Palestinian people seek for a prospective independent state.

Settlement expansion has drawn ire from Arab states who have steadfastly argued it erodes hopes for a two-state solution.

It has also sparked concerns about the eventual formal annexation of the disputed territories.

Ex- American President Donald Trump had once cautioned Israel about this step, stating to a publication that Israel would lose all its support from the US if it happened.

In a policy change, the UK - joined by other nations including Australia and Canada - recognised a State of Palestine, a significant although largely symbolic shift in official stance.

The Israeli government opposed this recognition, with PM Benjamin Netanyahu saying that a Palestinian state "will not happen."