Israel approves new 3,600-unit settlement in occupied East Jerusalem

Israeli authorities have approved the establishment of a significant new settlement in occupied East Jerusalem, a move widely condemned under international law. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich endorsed the plan for the "Mishmar Yehuda" settlement, which is slated to include 3,600 housing units on over 800 acres of land, according to Israeli media reports.

A Strategic Move to Cement Control

Announcing the decision on social media, Smotrich framed the settlement as a "strategic base to protect Jerusalem from the east." He explicitly stated the project aims to reinforce Israeli sovereignty over the area and prevent the formation of a future Palestinian state. This approval follows a recent Israeli Cabinet decision to authorize 19 other settlements in the occupied West Bank earlier in December.

Settlements and the Two-State Solution

The expansion of settlements is seen as a direct obstacle to the internationally endorsed two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. According to the Israeli peace group Peace Now, approximately 750,000 Israeli settlers now live across the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Analysts argue that continued settlement growth, particularly in areas like East Jerusalem claimed by Palestinians as a future capital, systematically undermines the territorial viability of a potential Palestinian state.

International Law and Ongoing Occupation

The establishment of civilian settlements in territories occupied since 1967 is considered illegal by the vast majority of the international community, including the United Nations. This latest approval further entrenches Israel's control over East Jerusalem and the West Bank, territories where successive Israeli governments have rejected a full withdrawal and the creation of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.