Jerusalem
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In another major expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, Israel’s cabinet on Thursday approved the legalization and establishment of a number of settler outposts, according to Israeli officials familiar with the matter.
The decision authorizes 19 outposts across the West Bank, including two that were evacuated in the 2005 withdrawal plan.
According to the Palestinian news agency WAFA, in response to news of the decision, Palestinian Presidential Spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh said, “All Israeli settlement activities are illegal and constitute a violation of international law and international legitimacy resolutions.”
The outposts are not only illegal under international law, but also illegal under Israeli law. Settlers establish outposts with the intention of receiving permission for illegal construction in the future. Many of the newly approved settlements are located deep in the West Bank.
Some outposts have existed for more than 20 years and are home to dozens of families. Other locations are in locations in the West Bank that settlers consider strategic locations for expanding and establishing new settlements in the future.
Moayyad Shaban, chairman of the Palestinian Colony and Wall Resistance Committee, called the decision “a dangerous escalation that exposes the occupation government’s true intentions to entrench a system of annexation, apartheid, and complete Judaization of Palestinian land.”
The new approval, made at Thursday night’s cabinet meeting, is part of a broader push by Israel’s right-wing wing, including far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, to bury the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state by expanding settlements and blocking territorial connections between Palestinian towns and communities.
The far-right Nahara movement, which advocates for settlement expansion in the West Bank, celebrated the decision, calling it an “impressive achievement” that will soon lead to Israeli settlements in Gaza.
In May, Israel announced it would establish 22 new settlements there, the largest settlement expansion in more than 30 years, according to settlement monitoring group Peace Now.
On Wednesday, Israel approved about 800 housing units in three different settlements in the West Bank. Peace Now said this was a pattern “aimed at normalizing settlement projects and reducing public and international attention and criticism.”
Mr Smotrich said the new housing units were “part of a clear strategic process to strengthen the settlement and ensure continuity of life, security and growth”.
Palestinian National Council President Rouhi Fattou said the decision to recognize new settlements constitutes a “double violation of international law,” citing violations of United Nations resolutions and the International Court of Justice’s opinion that settlement activities are illegal.
In a statement released on Friday, Fatou added that settlement expansion entrenches a policy of “creeping annexation.”
Meanwhile, in Gaza, Israel on Saturday accused Hamas officials of being “one of the architects” of the October 7 attack and announced it had carried out airstrikes. The Israeli military said the airstrike killed Ra’ad Saad, the weapons chief for Hamas’ military wing and one of the last remaining senior militants in Gaza.
At least four people were killed and 29 injured in the attack, according to the director of Gaza’s Al Shifa Hospital.
Israeli military officials insisted that the attack did not violate a U.S.-brokered cease-fire agreement because Israel is “authorized to attack targets actively engaged in terrorist activities.” It is unclear whether the U.S. was notified of the attack in advance or whether it was given permission.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said in a joint statement that the attack was ordered in response to the detonation of a Hamas explosive device early Saturday morning that injured Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas did not confirm or deny Saad’s death, but accused Israel of trying to derail a U.S.-brokered ceasefire.
Hamas said in a statement that the attacks on civilian areas were a “criminal violation” of the ceasefire agreement signed under US President Donald Trump’s plan.
