The Israeli government’s recent declaration of nearly 2,000 acres of state-owned land in the West Bank has been criticized by rights groups as the largest land grab in decades.
The expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank is considered illegal under international law and has been recognized as a major obstacle to the establishment of a two-state solution. Despite this, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich defended the move, stating that it was an important and strategic issue for Israel.
The designation of these plots of land as Israeli opens the door for the construction of settler homes and commercial development.
This declaration is seen as the largest since the 1993 Oslo Accords, and it comes on the heels of the Israeli government’s approval of over 3,400 new settler homes.
The United Nations and the Palestinian Authority have strongly criticized these actions, warning that they further undermine the possibility of a viable Palestinian state.
Smotrich has previously justified the expansion of settlements as a response to Palestinian terrorist attacks, emphasizing that any harm to Israel will only lead to more construction and development.
