Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich approved a plan for the construction of thousands of homes in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. He stated that the measure seeks to "bury the idea of a Palestinian state."
The project includes the expansion of several settlements and the creation of new infrastructure, which, according to international organizations, violates international law and complicates the prospects for a two-state solution.
Palestinian officials and human rights groups have condemned the decision, calling it a further step toward the de facto annexation of occupied territories. The international community has expressed concern about the impact of this policy on regional stability.