Canada, along with 13 other nations, released a joint statement on Wednesday denouncing the Israeli security cabinet’s endorsement of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank. The statement highlighted that such unilateral actions, part of an overall escalation of settlement policies in the West Bank, not only defy international law but also pose a risk of escalating tensions.
Israel’s cabinet recently announced the approval of these 19 new settlements, marking a total of 69 new settlements in the past few years, as confirmed by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has been advocating for an expansion agenda in the West Bank. This decision has led to an almost 50% increase in the number of settlements in the West Bank during the current far-right government’s term, with the count rising from 141 to 210 in 2022, as reported by Peace Now, an organization monitoring settlement activities.
These settlements are widely recognized as illegal under international law. The cabinet’s approval, granted on December 11 and made public on Sunday, includes the retroactive legitimization of previously established settlement outposts or neighborhoods within existing settlements, as well as the establishment of settlements on land previously inhabited by Palestinians.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand condemned the expansion in a statement, emphasizing that it contradicts international law and jeopardizes the 20 Point Peace Plan. The continued settlement growth undermines the potential for a two-state solution and peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians.
The timing of this approval coincides with U.S. efforts to advance the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, initiated on October 10. The U.S.-brokered plan aims to create a potential pathway to a Palestinian state, a goal hindered by the expansion of settlements. The recent decision also involves the legalization of settlements like Kadim and Ganim, which were among the four West Bank settlements dismantled in 2005 but have since been reintroduced following a legislative change in March 2023.