Israel Approves Construction of 2500 Homes in West Bank Settlements

The Israeli government announced on Tuesday, January 25, that it has approved a plan to build 2500 new residential units in Jewish settlements in the West Bank. This decision for settlement expansion comes just days after Donald Trump's inauguration as the new President of the United States, whose victory is expected to strengthen the policy of Jewish settlement expansion. The Associated Press reports that Donald Trump is expected to take a softer stance on Israeli settlement policy compared to Barack Obama, whose administration strongly opposed this Israeli policy. Trump has also promised to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. The right-wing and nationalist Israeli government has welcomed this shift in U.S. policy, but the expansion of settlements in occupied territories may provoke Palestinian anger and even lead to instability in the region. Avigdor Lieberman, Israel's Defense Minister, stated that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to this plan 'in response to the need for housing.' He added that most of these homes will be built in large immigrant settlements that the Israeli government intends to retain in any potential peace plan with the Palestinians. Apparently, the construction of about 100 housing units in two smaller settlements has been removed from this plan. Netanyahu also wrote in a brief message on his Facebook page: 'We will build and continue to build.' The expansion of Jewish settlements has been a major point of contention between Israel and the Obama administration, which, aligned with the Palestinians and the international community, condemned this Israeli policy as an obstacle to peace. Palestinians want the lands occupied in the 1967 war, including the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem, to be returned to them for the establishment of their independent state. Moreover, a large part of the international community also considers Israeli settlement expansion in occupied territories illegal. The Associated Press adds that a spokesman for Mahmoud Abbas, the leader of the Palestinian Authority, condemned the new housing construction plan in Jewish settlements, stating that this action 'undermines hopes for peace and strengthens extremism and terrorism.' He added: 'This provocative decision disrespects the Arab world and the entire international community, and the whole world must take a serious and real stance against it.' Two days before the approval of this plan, the Israeli government also approved the construction of about 600 new housing units in East Jerusalem. Such actions would have faced a strong reaction from the U.S. government during the Obama administration, but the Trump administration has not yet commented on it. Trump has not yet clarified his policies regarding peace between Israel and the Palestinians, although he has expressed a willingness to mediate for peace. During his election campaign, he made no mention of an independent Palestinian state.