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The nation's security cabinet has voted to recognize the recognition of 19 additional settlements in the contested Palestinian territories, marking a continued push for settlement expansion.

Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a settler who proposed the move together with Defence Minister Israel Katz, declared that the approval was aimed at preventing the formation of a Palestinian state.

Under international law, Israeli settlements in the disputed territories are considered illegal.

The move has drawn condemnation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has commented that Israel's "relentless" settlement expansion exacerbates frictions, limits Palestinian use of territory, and jeopardizes the viability of a sovereign Palestinian state.

Rising Unrest and Political Fallout

Violence in the region has escalated since the conflict in Gaza started in the autumn of 2023, adding to concerns that the growth of communities could solidify the Israeli presence and undermine the chance for a two-state solution.

The two-state solution refers to the formation of a Palestinian state in the Palestinian territories, with East Jerusalem as its capital, roughly along the boundaries that were in place prior to the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

Since taking office in 2022, the incumbent Israeli government has greatly accelerated the authorization of fresh communities and initiated the legalisation process for unauthorised settler outposts, classifying them as "suburbs" of established communities.

Ongoing Growth

The latest decision takes the overall count of settlements recognized over the preceding 36 months to 69, per the figures from Smotrich.

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

The newest round of approvals includes the revival of a pair of communities — Ganim and Kadim — which were removed almost 20 years ago.

Previously, Israel approved twenty-two additional communities in the occupied West Bank - what was the most significant wave of approvals in many years.

In a related development, the Israeli government also approved plans in August to build over 3,000 residences in the controversial E1 corridor between Jerusalem and the Maale Adumim settlement, a project that had been stalled for many years amid fierce international objection.

Regarding that plan, the Finance Minister stated it would "end the notion of a Palestinian state."

Population Facts and International Reactions

Approximately seven hundred thousand Israeli settlers live in about one hundred and sixty settlements in the occupied territories, according to the Israel-based anti-settlement group Peace Now. This is land that the Palestinian people seek for a future sovereign nation.

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

It has also raised concerns about the possible formal annexation of the disputed territories.

Former US President Donald Trump had once admonished the Israeli leadership about annexation, telling TIME magazine that the country would lose its backing from the United States if it proceeded.

In a diplomatic shift, the United Kingdom - along with other countries including Australia and Canada - recognised a Palestinian state, a major although largely symbolic shift in government policy.

Israel opposed this step, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying that a sovereign Palestine "will not happen."