Israel Approves Construction of 19 New Settlements in West Bank

Israel’s war cabinet has approved the construction of 19 new settlements in the West Bank, following proposals by the country’s finance and defense ministers. According to Hebrew media, this move marks an unprecedented expansion in settlement activity in the region.

Reports indicate that these settlements are planned for strategic locations in the central and northern West Bank, and will also cover areas such as Bethlehem, the Jordan Valley, and Hebron in the south—regions considered to have decisive geographical and political importance.

With this plan implemented, the total number of settlements constructed in the West Bank over the past three years will reach 69, a figure described by Israeli media as the highest rate of settlement construction in this timeframe.

Israel’s finance minister described this number as unprecedented and openly stated that the main goal of expanding the settlements is to prevent the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. This stance has drawn widespread criticism from human rights organizations and international opposition, as settlement construction in the West Bank is considered contrary to internationally accepted principles of international law.