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Israel's defense cabinet has given its endorsement to the recognition of 19 additional settlements in the contested Palestinian territories, representing a ongoing campaign for settlement expansion.

Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a settler who advocated for the move in concert with Defence Minister Israel Katz, declared that the decision was aimed at thwarting the establishment of a sovereign Palestine.

Under international law, Israeli settlements in the disputed territories are deemed in violation of international law.

The announcement has drawn criticism from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has previously stated that Israel's "relentless" settlement expansion fuels tensions, restricts Palestinian use of land, and jeopardizes the viability of a sovereign Palestinian state.

Increased Tensions and Diplomatic Fallout

Unrest in the occupied West Bank has surged since the conflict in the Gaza Strip started in the autumn of 2023, adding to concerns that the growth of communities could entrench Israel's occupation and undermine the prospects for a two-state solution.

The two-state solution involves the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with Jerusalem's eastern sector as its seat of government, largely along the borders that were in place prior to the 1967 Middle East war.

Upon assuming leadership in late 2022, the current Israeli government has greatly accelerated the approval of fresh communities and initiated the formal recognition for previously illegal settler outposts, designating them as "suburbs" of established communities.

Sustained Expansion

The latest approval pushes the cumulative figure of settlements recognized over the past three years to 69, according to Smotrich.

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

The most recent round of approvals includes the revival of two communities — Ganim and Kadim — which were dismantled almost two decades ago.

Previously, the Israeli government gave the nod to twenty-two additional communities in the territories - what was the largest wave of approvals in many years.

Furthermore, the Israeli government also approved projects in August to build more than three thousand housing units in the controversial E1 corridor between the capital and the Maale Adumim community, a plan that had been stalled for decades amid intense foreign objection.

On that occasion, the Finance Minister remarked it would "put to rest the idea of a Palestinian state."

Demographic Realities and International Reactions

An estimated seven hundred thousand settlers reside in about 160 communities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, as per data from the Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now. This is land that Palestinians envision for a future sovereign nation.

This ongoing construction has drawn ire from Arab nations who have repeatedly argued it erodes chances for a two-state solution.

It has furthermore fueled concerns about the possible annexing of the disputed territories.

Ex- US President Donald Trump had previously cautioned the Israeli leadership about this step, stating to TIME magazine that the country would lose all its support from the US if it proceeded.

In a policy change, the United Kingdom - along with other nations such as Australia and Canada - formally recognized a State of Palestine, a major although primarily ceremonial change in government policy.

Israel opposed this recognition, with PM Benjamin Netanyahu declaring that a Palestinian state "is off the table."