Israeli finance minister approves 2,162 new West Bank homes

Israel's finance minister announced plans on Wednesday to expand three Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank by more than 2,000 homes, a move expected to draw international criticism and escalate regional tensions. Bezalel Smotrich said a planning committee approved the construction of 2,162 new homes, with 1,006 units slated for a new settlement near Jerusalem, 922 near the Palestinian city of Nablus, and 234 near Hebron.

Smotrich, who holds authority over parts of Israel's civilian administration in the West Bank, framed the expansion as a strategic and security imperative. In a statement, he said 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." He did not specify when construction would begin.

The announcement was swiftly condemned by Palestinian leadership. The office of President Mahmoud Abbas warned that Israel's "provocative" policies were pushing the region toward more violence and called on the United States to stop the Israeli "madness." Most countries regard Israeli settlements in the West Bank as illegal...