Canada, along with 13 other nations, released a united statement on Wednesday denouncing the Israeli security cabinet’s authorization of 19 fresh settlements in the occupied West Bank. The joint statement emphasized that such independent actions, coupled with an overall escalation of settlement policies in the West Bank, not only breach international law but also pose a threat of escalating tensions.
The Israeli cabinet disclosed the approval of 19 additional settlements on Sunday, marking a total of 69 new settlements approved in recent years, as indicated by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a proponent of West Bank expansion. This decision signifies a near 50% surge in the number of settlements within the West Bank under the current far-right government’s leadership. Before the approval, there were 141 settlements across the West Bank, now totaling 210, according to Peace Now, an organization monitoring settlement activities.
The establishment of settlements is widely condemned as illegal under international law. The cabinet’s approval, revealed by Smotrich’s office on December 11 but unveiled publicly on Sunday, also included the retroactive legalization of some previously existing settlement outposts or neighborhoods within settlements, along with the creation of settlements on evacuated Palestinian land.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand voiced her disapproval of the news, highlighting the detrimental impact of continued settlement expansion on the prospects of a two-state solution and the peaceful coexistence of Israelis and Palestinians. This development coincides with U.S. efforts to advance the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, initiated on October 10, which aims to pave the way for a potential pathway to a Palestinian state, a goal impeded by the expansion of settlements.
Among the settlements legalized in the recent approval are Kadim and Ganim, two of the settlements dismantled in 2005 during Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Following the repeal of the 2005 act prohibiting Israelis from resettling these areas, multiple attempts have been made to reestablish these settlements. The scope of settlements can vary, ranging from individual dwellings to multi-story complexes.