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Israel's security cabinet has voted to recognize the establishment of 19 new settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, signaling a continued campaign for settlement expansion.

Hardline Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who lives in a settlement and put forward the move together with Defense Chief Israel Katz, declared that the approval was about blocking the establishment of a sovereign Palestine.

According to global statutes, Israeli settlements in the disputed territories are considered illegal.

The move has sparked criticism from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has previously stated that Israel's "persistent" settlement expansion exacerbates frictions, restricts Palestinians' use of territory, and undermines the viability of a sovereign Palestinian state.

Rising Unrest and Political Repercussions

Clashes in the region has surged since the war in the Gaza Strip began in October 2023, adding to apprehensions that settlement expansion could solidify the Israeli presence and weaken the prospects for a two-state solution.

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

Upon assuming leadership in 2022, the incumbent government in Jerusalem has ramped up the authorization of new settlements and initiated the process of legalization for informal outposts, classifying them as "extensions" of established communities.

Sustained Expansion

The most recent decision takes the cumulative figure of settlements recognized over the past three years to sixty-nine, as stated by Smotrich.

These authorizations are announced only a few days after the UN reported that construction in settlements had attained its peak since 2017.

The newest round of authorizations includes the revival of a pair of settlements — Ganim and Kadim — which were dismantled almost two decades ago.

Earlier this year, Israel approved 22 additional settlements in the occupied West Bank - labeled as the biggest expansion in many years.

Furthermore, the Israeli government sanctioned plans in August to erect over three thousand housing units in the so-called E1 project between Jerusalem and the Maale Adumim community, a initiative that had been stalled for many years amid intense foreign objection.

Regarding that plan, the Finance Minister remarked it would "put to rest the concept of a Palestinian state."

Demographic Facts and Global Reactions

Approximately seven hundred thousand settlers reside in approximately 160 settlements in the occupied territories, according to the Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now. This is territory that Palestinians seek for a future sovereign nation.

Settlement expansion has drawn ire from neighboring countries who have steadfastly said it undermines chances for a peaceful two-state outcome.

It has furthermore sparked fears about the potential formal annexation of the occupied West Bank.

Former American President Donald Trump had once admonished the Israeli leadership about this step, stating to TIME magazine that Israel would lose its backing from the United States if it happened.

In a diplomatic shift, the UK - joined by other nations such as Australia and Canada - recognised a State of Palestine, a significant although largely symbolic adjustment in government policy.

The Israeli government strongly rejected this step, with PM Benjamin Netanyahu declaring that a Palestinian state "will not happen."