Israel's government has announced its intention to enhance Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank following the recent unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state by several countries. The Prime Minister's Office stated that all proposals to strengthen settlements in the region, known biblically as Judea and Samaria, will be reviewed and voted on at the upcoming Security Cabinet meeting.
Recent recognitions of an independent Palestinian state by Norway, Ireland, Spain, and Slovenia were partly influenced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's stance against a two-state solution. Israel's Foreign Ministry criticized these actions, labeling them as a reward for terrorism and warning that they could bolster Hamas.
Israel also expressed its intention to consider retaliatory measures against the Palestinian Authority for its actions in international forums. The Palestinian Authority recently sought to join South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
In a controversial proposal, Israel's far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, suggested approving 10,000 new settlements in the West Bank, establishing a new settlement for each country recognizing Palestine, and revoking travel permits for Palestinian Authority officials. It remains uncertain whether these radical ideas are included in the current proposals being discussed in Israel.
