Israel Approves 19 West Bank Settlements as International Condemnation Intensifies
Updated (6 articles)
Cabinet Approves 19 New West Bank Settlements On December 11, Israel’s security cabinet formally recognized 19 new outposts, including the revival of Ganim and Kadim, and retroactively legalized several existing neighborhoods [1][3][5][6]. The move raises the total number of West Bank settlements to 210, while the count of approvals in the past three years reaches 69 [5][3][6]. The approvals were driven by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and were presented as a response to perceived security threats [3][5].
Bezalel Smotrich Frames Expansion as State‑Blocking Strategy Smotrich repeatedly stated that the settlement surge is intended to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state, describing the land as “our ancestral heritage” [3][4][5][6]. He and Defence Minister Israel Katz coordinated the December decision, linking it to broader policy goals of demographic and territorial control [3][6]. Cabinet Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir, who oversees police matters, is also identified as a key player supporting the expansion [5].
International Community Issues Broad Condemnation Twelve European nations together with Canada and Japan issued a joint statement calling the approvals a violation of international law and a threat to a two‑state solution [1]. Fourteen countries, including the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Canada, urged Israel to reverse the moves and warned they could jeopardize the Gaza ceasefire [2]. The United Nations, through Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres, warned that the expansion fuels tensions and noted that settlement growth is at its highest level since 2017 [3][6][2].
Israel Rejects Condemnation as Discriminatory Foreign Minister Gideon Saar dismissed the multinational criticism as morally wrong and discriminatory against Jews, asserting that external pressure should not limit Israel’s right to settle the land [2]. Saar framed the condemnation as an attempt to undermine Israel’s security posture and the right of Jews to live throughout the historic Land of Israel [2].
Settler Violence Escalates Amid Expansion United Nations data recorded at least 233 Palestinian deaths in the West Bank this year and 264 settler‑related attacks in October alone, reflecting a surge in violence concurrent with the settlement approvals [1]. Palestinian health officials and Israeli sources reported hundreds of incidents during the recent olive‑harvest season, underscoring the deteriorating security environment [5][6].
Sources
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1.
CNN: Europe, Canada and Japan Condemn Israel's West Bank Settlements Approval: Details the joint condemnation by 12 European states, Canada and Japan, the December 11 cabinet decision on 19 outposts, and UN data on rising violence .
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The Hindu: Israel Says Condemnation of West Bank Settlements Is Morally Wrong: Highlights Foreign Minister Gideon Saar’s rebuttal, Smotrich’s announcement of 11 new and 8 formalised settlements, and the call by 14 countries to reverse the approvals .
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3.
BBC: Israel Approves 19 New Settlements in West Bank: Reports the security cabinet’s approval of 19 settlements, the involvement of Smotrich and Katz, international backlash, and the total of 69 approvals over three years .
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Newsweek: Israel Approves New West Bank Settlements as Gaza Peace Plan Stalls: Links the cabinet’s approval of over a dozen settlements to the stalled Trump Gaza plan, cites the ICJ advisory opinion, and notes Netanyahu’s stance against a Palestinian state .
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AP: Israel Approves 19 New West Bank Settlements, Lifting Total to 210: Provides the cabinet’s decision, legalization of Kadim and Ganim, the rise to 210 settlements, and the accompanying surge in settler violence .
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The Hindu (second): Israel's Security Cabinet Approves 19 New West Bank Settlements, Bringing Total to 69: Focuses on the security cabinet’s approval, UN’s peak‑since‑2017 warning, Smotrich’s justification, and Trump’s warning about U.S. support .
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Timeline
1967 – The West Bank has been under Israeli military occupation since the 1967 Six‑Day War, forming the legal and demographic backdrop for settlement activity affecting over 3.3 million Palestinians living there today [2].
2005 – Israel dismantles the settlements of Ganim and Kadim as part of the 2005 disengagement, a move later reversed when the settlements are re‑established in 2025 approvals, illustrating the cyclical nature of settlement policy [1][4].
2017 – Settlement expansion reaches its highest level since 2017, a benchmark later cited by the United Nations in 2025 to highlight the unprecedented pace of new approvals [1][5][6].
2024 – The International Court of Justice issues an advisory opinion declaring Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal under international law and calling for an immediate halt to construction, evacuation of settlers, and reparations, setting a key legal reference point for 2025 debates [3].
May 2025 – Israel approves 22 new West Bank settlements, the largest expansion in decades, signaling an acceleration that precedes the December wave of approvals [1].
Oct 2025 – United Nations data record 264 settler attacks during the October olive‑harvest season and a total of 233 Palestinian deaths in the West Bank for the year, underscoring a surge in violence accompanying settlement growth [2].
Dec 11, 2025 – Israel’s cabinet authorizes 19 outposts across the West Bank, including the re‑establishment of Ganim and Kadim; Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announces the move on X and frames it as a step to block a Palestinian state [2][1].
Dec 21, 2025 – The security cabinet approves the 19 settlements, raising the tally of settlements approved in the past three years to 69; Smotrich says the expansion “blocks the establishment of a Palestinian state” and vows continued development of “the land of its ancestral heritage” [6][1].
Dec 21, 2025 – The full cabinet legalizes the same 19 settlements, retroactively legitimizing outposts and raising the total number of West Bank settlements to 210, while noting a parallel surge in settler‑related attacks during the October harvest [4][2].
Dec 21, 2025 – Israeli officials cite the total of 69 new settlements approved over recent years, echoing Smotrich’s claim that the government will “continue to develop, build and settle the land” as part of a broader expansion agenda [3][1].
Dec 22, 2025 – Smotrich announces that authorities have green‑lit 11 new settlements and formalized eight additional ones, presenting the action as a security measure and a means to shape the West Bank’s geography [5].
Dec 25, 2025 – Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemns the joint statement of 14 countries as “morally wrong” and “discriminatory against Jews,” rejecting external pressure on Israel’s settlement policy and defending the right of Jews to live in the Land of Israel [5].
Dec 25, 2025 – Twelve European states, Canada and Japan issue a joint condemnation, stating the settlement approvals violate international law and threaten the two‑state solution, reflecting broad diplomatic backlash [2].
Dec 25, 2025 – UN Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres warns that relentless settlement expansion “fuels tensions, constrains Palestinian land access, and jeopardizes the viability of a Palestinian state,” reinforcing international legal and humanitarian concerns [1].
Dec 25, 2025 – UN official Tom Fletcher calls for protection of Palestinians and condemns impunity for settler violence, emphasizing that failure to prevent or punish attacks “is inconsistent with international law” [2].
Dec 25, 2025 – Former President Donald Trump warns that any Israeli annexation of the West Bank would “end all U.S. support,” linking settlement expansion to broader geopolitical risks [6].
External resources (4 links)
- https://x.com/bezalelsm/status/2002662564610654640?s=20 (cited 1 times)
- https://x.com/gidonsaar/status/2003942593931960603 (cited 1 times)
- https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files/israel-palestine/news/2025/article/joint-declaration-approval-of-the-creation-of-19-new-settlements-in-the (cited 1 times)
- https://www.unrwa.org/resources/reports/unrwa-situation-report-201-situation-gaza-strip-and-west-bank-including-east-jerusalem (cited 1 times)