Canada, along with 13 other nations, jointly criticized the Israeli security cabinet’s recent endorsement of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank. The collaborative statement highlighted that such unilateral actions, part of an overall escalation of settlement policies in the region, not only breach international law but also pose a threat to stability.
The Israeli cabinet’s announcement of 19 additional settlements on Sunday, as revealed by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, brings the total number of new settlements approved in recent years to 69. This decision marks a nearly 50% increase in West Bank settlements during the current far-right government’s term, with the total count rising from 141 to 210, according to Peace Now, an organization monitoring settlement activities.
The approval, considered illegal under international law, includes the retroactive legalization of some existing settlement outposts and new settlements on previously Palestinian-inhabited land. Notably, two of the settlements granted approval, Kadim and Ganim, were among the four settlements dismantled in 2005 during Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Following a repeal of the 2005 evacuation act, efforts have been made to resettle these areas.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand expressed strong condemnation of the settlement expansion, emphasizing its contravention of international law and its detrimental impact on peace efforts, including the two-state solution. The move coincides with efforts by the U.S. to advance the Gaza ceasefire’s second phase, aimed at establishing a potential pathway to a Palestinian state, a goal hindered by the expansion of settlements.
The recent developments have raised concerns among various nations and organizations regarding the implications of the increased settlement activity on regional stability and the prospects for a lasting peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians.