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Israel's top security body has voted to recognize the formalization of 19 new settlements in the contested West Bank, representing a continued push for territorial growth.

Hardline Treasury Chief Bezalel Smotrich, a settler who put forward the step in concert with Defence Minister Israel Katz, stated that the approval was intended for thwarting the creation of a sovereign Palestine.

It is important to note that Jewish communities in the occupied West Bank are viewed as illegal.

The announcement has sparked censure from Saudi Arabia. The United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has previously stated that Israel's "unceasing" growth of communities exacerbates tensions, restricts Palestinians' access to land, and jeopardizes the feasibility of a independent Palestine.

Escalating Tensions and Diplomatic Fallout

Unrest in the occupied West Bank has surged since the hostilities in Gaza erupted in the autumn of 2023, adding to fears that the growth of communities could solidify the Israeli presence and undermine the possibility for a two-state solution.

The concept of two states envisions the creation of a Palestinian state in the Palestinian territories, with East Jerusalem as its seat of government, largely along the borders that existed prior to the 1967 Middle East war.

Upon assuming leadership in late 2022, the current government in Jerusalem has greatly accelerated the authorization of new settlements and initiated the legalisation process for informal outposts, classifying them as "neighbourhoods" of existing communities.

Ongoing Growth

The most recent decision brings the overall count of communities approved over the past three years to 69, according to Minister Smotrich.

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

The latest round of authorizations encompasses the re-establishment of a pair of settlements — Ganim and Kadim — which were removed about in 2005.

In a previous move, the Israeli government authorized 22 new communities in the occupied West Bank - described as the largest expansion in many years.

In a related development, the government gave the go-ahead for blueprints in August to construct over 3,000 homes in the controversial E1 area between Jerusalem and the Maale Adumim community, a plan that had been stalled for many years amid fierce global condemnation.

At that time, the Finance Minister stated it would "put to rest the notion of a Palestinian state."

Population Facts and International Response

Roughly 700,000 Israeli settlers live in about one hundred and sixty settlements in the occupied territories, as per data from the Israel-based anti-settlement group Peace Now. This is land that the Palestinian people envision for a prospective sovereign nation.

This ongoing construction has provoked neighboring countries who have repeatedly said it harms hopes for a two-state solution.

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

Former US President Donald Trump had previously admonished Israel about this step, telling TIME magazine that Israel would lose its backing from the United States if it happened.

In a policy change, the UK - along with other countries including Australia and Canada - formally recognized a Palestinian state, a major although largely symbolic change in foreign policy.

The Israeli government strongly rejected the move, with PM Benjamin Netanyahu saying that a sovereign Palestine "is off the table."