Israel unveils plans for new settlements in occupied West Bank – World

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Israeli Finance Minister Bekalel Smotrich on Wednesday unveiled plans for one of the proposed settlements in the occupied West Bank. He did so just one day before peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian militant movement Hamas were set to begin, TASR reported, Reuters reported.

The far-right minister stressed that the move was a reaction to the decisions of the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank and the recent national decisions recognizing the existence of Palestine. “No anti-Israel or anti-Zionist decision will stop the construction of this settlement. We will continue to fight against the dangerous idea of Palestinian statehood. This is my life’s mission,” Smotrich said.

The new settlement, called Nachal Helec, will cover 60 hectares. Smotrich, leader of the pro-settler party and a settler himself, said it would become part of the Gush Etzion settlement complex and would connect the settlement area to nearby Jerusalem.

Israel has occupied large parts of the West Bank since the Six-Day War in 1967. Most UN member states consider Israeli settlements in the region to be illegal and in violation of international law. In July, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) also affirmed this position in an advisory opinion.

Israel announced in June that it would legalize the existence of five settlements, build three more new ones, and expropriate more land in the West Bank.

The Israeli minister’s statement comes a day before Hamas and Israel are scheduled to hold talks in Qatar to agree on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of Israeli hostages. Israel has confirmed its participation, but Hamas’s participation remains uncertain.