Israel Approves Construction Of 764 New Illegal Residentials In The West Bank

Construction of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. (Wikimedia Commons/Troclaire)

JAKARTA - The Israeli authorities approved the expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank, Palestine, which are occupied, is against international law.

Local Israeli media reported on Wednesday that local authorities approved the construction of 764 new illegal residential units in the central West Bank.

According to Channel 7, the government's High Planning Council approved the construction of 478 settlers' homes in Hashmonaim settlements, west of Ramallah in the central West Bank, 230 houses in Beitar Illit, and 56 units in Giv'at Ze'ev, quoted from Anadolu (11/12).

However, there was no official statement by the Israeli government regarding the development.

The construction of Israeli settlements has escalated rapidly across the occupied West Bank, since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's current government came to power by the end of 2022.

Local media said 51,370 settlers' homes had been approved across the occupied territories since the beginning of the current administration.

According to data from the Israeli anti-residential group, Peace Now, more than 700,000 illegal settlers live in the West Bank, including some 250,000 in East Jerusalem.

The United Nations has repeatedly emphasized that Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories are illegal under international law, warning the settlements undermine the prospects for a two-state solution.

Last July, the International Court (ICJ) declared Israel's occupation of illegal Palestinian territories and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.