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The nation's security cabinet has formally approved the establishment of 19 fresh communities in the contested Palestinian territories, marking a ongoing drive for settlement expansion.

Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who lives in a settlement and advocated for the move together with Defense Chief Israel Katz, asserted that the move was intended for preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state.

It is important to note that Jewish communities in the disputed territories are considered unlawful.

The decision has drawn censure from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has commented that Israel's "persistent" settlement expansion exacerbates tensions, limits Palestinian use of territory, and undermines the prospects of a sovereign Palestinian state.

Increased Tensions and Political Fallout

Unrest in the region has increased sharply since the hostilities in Gaza erupted in October 2023, intensifying fears that the growth of communities could solidify the Israeli presence and undermine the prospects for a peaceful resolution based on two states.

The two-state solution involves the establishment of a State of Palestine in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with Jerusalem's eastern sector as its capital, broadly along the lines that were in place before the 1967 Middle East war.

Upon assuming leadership in late 2022, the present Israeli government has significantly increased the authorization of fresh communities and initiated the process of legalization for unauthorised settler outposts, designating them as "neighbourhoods" of existing settlements.

Ongoing Growth

The latest decision brings the overall count of settlements approved over the preceding 36 months to sixty-nine, per the figures from Smotrich.

These decisions are announced a short time after the UN reported that construction in settlements had reached its most intense pace since the year 2017.

The most recent round of authorizations features the re-establishment of two communities — Ganim and Kadim — which were evacuated about two decades ago.

Earlier this year, the Israeli government approved 22 additional communities in the occupied West Bank - described as the most significant wave of approvals in many years.

Additionally, the government also approved projects in August to build in excess of 3,000 residences in the controversial E1 corridor between the capital and the Maale Adumim settlement, a project that had been on hold for many years amid intense foreign objection.

On that occasion, Smotrich said it would "bury the idea of a Palestinian state."

Demographic Realities and International Reactions

An estimated 700,000 settlers dwell in about 160 communities in the occupied territories, according to the Israel-based anti-settlement group Peace Now. This is land that Palestinians seek for a future independent state.

This ongoing construction has drawn ire from Arab states who have consistently said it erodes hopes for a peaceful two-state outcome.

It has also raised fears about the eventual formal annexation of the disputed territories.

Ex- American President Donald Trump had previously admonished the Israeli leadership about this step, telling TIME magazine that the country would lose its backing from the US if it occurred.

Recently, the UK - together with other countries including Australia and Canada - recognised a State of Palestine, a major although primarily ceremonial adjustment in official stance.

Israel was against this step, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserting that a sovereign Palestine "is not going to occur."