Media, Israel security cabinet approves 34 settlements in West Bank

(Adnkronos) – The Israeli security cabinet approved the creation of 34 new settlements in the West Bank during a meeting held two weeks ago. The Times of Israel reported this, specifying that the total number of new settlements established or retroactively legalized by the government since it took office in 2022 thus rises to 103. The security cabinet meetings and related decisions are confidential, and there has been no official confirmation of the decision by the government. The new settlements likely include not only newly constructed settlements but also the retroactive legalization of previously illegal outposts, and are distributed throughout the West Bank, according to the Times of Israel. According to Ynet, IDF Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, expressed serious concern during the security cabinet meeting, fearing that the approval of the new settlements could further strain the IDF’s human resources, which are already under significant pressure. The Yesh Din organization, which fights against violations of Palestinian rights, argues that the approval of the new settlements is aimed at promoting the “ethnic cleansing” of the West Bank.