Controversial Settlement Expansion in West Bank Sparks Global Outcry

The U.N. human rights office has condemned Israel's plan to build new settlements in the West Bank and near East Jerusalem, calling it illegal and a war crime. This expansion could thwart the two-state solution by fragmenting Palestinian territories, increasing tensions over the region’s contentious status.

The United Nations' human rights office has issued a stern warning over Israel's controversial plan to construct thousands of new homes between an existing settlement in the West Bank and near East Jerusalem. The move, deemed illegal under international law, could result in the forced eviction of Palestinians, deemed a war crime by the U.N. spokesperson.

In a brazen pledge, Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich vowed to advance the long-delayed settlement project despite international objections. He believes this plan would effectively eliminate the prospects for a Palestinian state. According to the U.N., this expansion would fragment the West Bank into isolated enclaves, contravening international law.

The contentious issue revolves around the presence of approximately 700,000 Israeli settlers living among 2.7 million Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. While Israel annexed East Jerusalem in 1980—a move unrecognized by most of the world—it has stopped short of extending formal sovereignty over the West Bank. Continued settlement growth is seen by many as undermining peace efforts.

(With inputs from agencies.)