Move to facilitate settlement building in the occupied West Bank comes amid international concerns

In a significant development that has drawn international attention, Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the designation of 800 hectares (1,977 acres) in the occupied West Bank as state land. This declaration is aimed at furthering settlement construction in the region, a move that has been met with widespread international criticism due to its implications for peace and the prospect of a two-state solution.

The announcement was made during United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Israel, where he held discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Despite international pressure to halt settlement expansion in the West Bank, Smotrich emphasized the government’s commitment to pressing ahead with its settlement plans.

Smotrich, who resides in an Israeli settlement himself and is a vocal advocate for settlement construction, cited historical and Biblical connections to the area as justification for the move. This stance, however, conflicts with international law and longstanding US policy, which views the settlements as illegal and an obstacle to peace. The US recently reiterated its position that Israel’s expansion of settlements in the West Bank is inconsistent with international law, aligning itself with the broader international consensus.

The Palestinians have condemned the land seizure and expansion of settlements, with the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs labelling it a “crime” and an overt attempt to annex the West Bank and undermine the feasibility of a Palestinian state. The international community has also expressed concern, with the UN Human Rights Chief labelling the settlement expansion as a potential war crime under international law.

Israeli settlement watchdog Peace Now has identified this seizure as the single largest declaration of state land since the 1993 Oslo Accords. The timing of the announcement, concurrent with Secretary Blinken’s visit, has been seen as particularly provocative, given the US’s critical stance on settlement expansion under Netanyahu’s government.

This move comes amidst growing international calls for a resumption of efforts towards achieving a two-state solution and ending the conflict that has long plagued the region. However, the expansion of Israeli settlements continues to be a major barrier to peace, complicating efforts to achieve a lasting resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict