Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has said plans to build more than 3,000 homes in a controversial settlement project in the occupied West Bank will “bury the idea of a Palestinian state”.
The Palestinian Authority, along with allied governments and advocacy groups, denounced the plan as illegal under international law, warning that the fragmentation of territory would undermine any internationally supported peace initiatives.
The decision comes as Israel faces growing diplomatic pressure. Several Western allies have criticised its military campaign in Gaza and signalled plans to formally recognise a Palestinian state, a shift that could further deepen Israel’s isolation on the global stage.
