Israel approves construction of more than $700$ new Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

Amidst the ongoing ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli government has approved a proposal to build $764$ new homes for Jewish settlers in the West Bank, another part of the besieged Palestine.

The Turkish news agency Anadolu reported this information on Wednesday (December $10$), citing the Israeli news outlet Channel $7$. The Channel $7$ report stated that on Tuesday (December $9$), the Israeli government approved the construction of $478$ new homes in the Hashmonaim area of Ramallah, $230$ in Beitar Illit, and $56$ in Giv’at Ze’ev—totaling $764$ new homes for Jewish settlers in the West Bank. However, the Israeli government has not yet officially announced anything regarding this issue.

Ignoring international law and public opinion, Israel has gradually been increasing its occupied territory in the West Bank over the past few decades. Since the government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took power in $2022$, this activity has increased several times over.

Information obtained from various Israeli news outlets suggests that since Netanyahu became Prime Minister, a total of $51,370$ new homes have been approved for Jewish settlers in various areas of the West Bank over the last three years.

According to Peace Now, an Israeli organization vocal against the illegal occupation, there are currently approximately $250,000$ Jewish settlers in East Jerusalem and more than $450,000$ in the West Bank, which is the proposed capital of the Palestinian state. According to UN resolutions, there should be two separate states, Israel and Palestine, in the Al-Aqsa region of the Middle East.

However, as Israel increases the number of Jewish settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem almost every year, the territory of the proposed Palestinian state is shrinking. The UN and the international community have objected to Israel on this issue many times, but the Israeli government is not paying heed.

Last July, the UN court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), ruled that the construction of new homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem by Israeli settlers was illegal and instructed the Israeli government to remove the Jewish settlers. Despite this, they have not taken any steps so far.

Source: Anadolu Agency