Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on May 29, 2025, the establishment of 22 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, a move that has drawn widespread international condemnation. The settlements, approved by Israel’s security cabinet and led by Smotrich and Defense Minister Israel Katz, include both the legalization of existing outposts and the creation of new communities, primarily in the northern West Bank. The Likud party hailed the decision as a “once-in-a-generation” step to reinforce Israel’s eastern security axis and to strengthen its presence along the Jordan Valley.
The international community has largely condemned the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, considering them illegal under international law and a significant obstacle to the establishment of a Palestinian state. The United Nations, European Union, and several countries, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, have expressed opposition to Israel’s settlement program, urging the government to reverse its decision.
Palestinian officials have strongly criticized the settlement expansion, viewing it as a provocative escalation that undermines the prospects for a two-state solution. The Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the move as a violation of international legitimacy and resolutions, while the Hamas movement labeled it an act of ethnic cleansing.
The announcement coincides with increasing tensions in the region, including ongoing military operations in Gaza and a humanitarian crisis affecting its population. The international community continues to call for dialogue and negotiations to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to seek a peaceful resolution.
