Israel has announced plans to legally recognize five unauthorized Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, a move that has drawn condemnation from various countries and organizations.
The decision, made by Israel's finance minister, aims to strengthen Jewish settlements in the West Bank following unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state by several countries. The settlements in question were built illegally and will now be officially recognized by the Israeli government.
The release of tax funds to the Palestinian Authority, collected by Israel on its behalf, has also been approved as part of this decision. The funds, frozen since recent attacks, will cover the past three months and are set to be released immediately.
While the Prime Minister's office has not yet commented on the reports, the move is seen as a significant step towards integrating these settlements into Israel, providing them with essential services like water, electricity, and medical care.
However, the Palestinian Authority has not yet received the funds from Israel, according to an official source. This delay raises concerns about the impact of the decision on the ongoing peace efforts in the region.
Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, a prominent figure in the far-right faction of the government, has long been an advocate for settlement expansion as a means to prevent the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. His views have sparked criticism from the European Union, Qatar, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, among others.
The EU, in a statement, condemned the move as a deliberate attempt to undermine peace efforts, while Qatar described it as a violation of international legitimacy resolutions. Egypt and Saudi Arabia also denounced the decision, citing its negative impact on regional security and stability.
Despite international opposition, Israel has continued to expand settlements in the West Bank over the years, in defiance of international law and agreements such as the Oslo Accords. These settlements remain a contentious issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with much of the international community viewing them as illegal.
