Israel sets annual record with approval of 5,700 new settlement homes in West Bank amid global criticism

In a move that defies international opposition, Israel has granted approval for the construction of 5,700 new homes in Jewish settlements within the West Bank, marking a record-breaking annual high for settlement development under the government's six-month tenure.

Despite receiving criticism from the international community, which deems all settlement construction a violation of international law and recent Israeli commitments, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration has also authorised residency in three illegal outposts established by settlers without government approval, reported the Irish Times.

Netanyahu's government faces condemnation

Tensions between Israel and the United States have escalated as the Joe Biden administration increasingly voices its disapproval of Israel's settlement policy. The strained relations have been further exacerbated by the government's plans, seen as the most right-wing in Israel's history, to undermine the judiciary.

Simultaneously, Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his belief that Israel should curtail the Palestinian aspiration for an independent state. During a closed meeting of the Knesset parliament's foreign affairs and defence committee, he emphasised the importance of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and stated Israel's willingness to provide economic assistance to ensure its continuation. He noted that in areas where the PA functions effectively, it serves in lieu of Israeli authority.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, denounced Netanyahu's statement as evidence of Israel's rejection of international law. He argued that the Palestinian state exists and is recognised by over 140 countries, asserting that Israel's aggression against the Palestinian people cannot sustain the occupation indefinitely.

Also watch |Israel: Legislation on judicial reforms to continue

“The Palestinian state exists and is recognised by more than 140 countries. Israel is dreaming if it thinks that it can perpetuate this occupation by continuing the aggression against the Palestinian people,” he said.

Responding to a surge in attacks by settlers against Palestinians, the Israeli army deployed two additional battalions to the West Bank. Since a shooting incident near the settlement of Eli last week, which claimed the lives of four settlers, over 85 acts of Jewish nationalist crimes have been perpetrated against Palestinians in various locations across the West Bank. In an unusual joint statement, the heads of the army, police, and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) publicly condemned the violence.

This condemnation prompted National Missions Minister Orit Struck, a member of the far-right Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Strength) party, to draw a controversial comparison between the heads of Israel's security establishments and the Russian mercenary group Wagner. However, following a sharp rebuke from Prime Minister Netanyahu, Struck publicly apologised, acknowledging the inappropriateness of her comment. Netanyahu emphasised the importance of supporting those leading the fight against terrorism and working to secure Israel's safety.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE: