Israel’s far-right finance minister announced Wednesday plans to expand three Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank by more than 2,000 homes.
The move is likely to draw international criticism as most countries regard the settlements as illegal under international law and a major obstacle to a future two-state solution.
Bezalel Smotrich, who holds authority over parts of Israel's civilian administration in the West Bank, said a planning committee approved the construction of 2,162 new Jewish homes. They include 1,006 units in a new settlement near Jerusalem, 922 near the Palestinian city of Nablus and 234 near Hebron.
"We are continuing to build the Land of Israel in practice," said Smotrich, an ultranationalist sanctioned by Britain, France and others who accuse him of inciting violence against Palestinians.
Smotrich has denounced the sanctions against him, saying the measures would not change Israeli policy. The new homes would "strengthen our hold on the land, reinforce Israel's security, and establish clear facts on the ground that prevent the creation of an Arab terror state in the heart of the country," Smotrich said in a statement, without specifying when construction would begin.
