Israel Announces More Settlements in Occupied Territories

In October, the Israeli government approved plans to build 3000 more units in West Bank settlements. The State Department issued its strongest opposition to the plans since President Biden took office, calling them “unacceptable.” The State Department also expressed concern about the publication of tenders for 13,000 settlement units in a number of West Bank settlements. State Department spokesman Ned Price said, “We strongly oppose the expansion of settlements, which is completely inconsistent with efforts to lower tensions…and it damages the prospects for a two-state solution.” (Washington Post, Oct. 29, 2021)

Axios reported that Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz and told him that both the number of housing units and their locations deep inside the West Bank were “unacceptable,” according to Israeli officials. Mondoweiss (Oct. 28, 2021) reports that, “Prime minister Bennett comes from a far right-wing party that opposes a Palestinian state and backs the settlers. His government coalition includes several right-wing parties and the Israeli government, under a Constitutional law, holds that Jews have the ‘exclusive’ right of ‘self-determination’ in all the land between the river and the sea.”

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said that the plan to build new housing units in the settlements “puts the world, especially the U.S. in front of great responsibilities to confront and challenge the fait accompli imposed by Israel.” He called on the international community to make “Israel pay the price for its aggression against our people.” (International Jerusalem Post, Oct. 29-Nov. 4, 2021). **