Netanyahu challenges Biden, reveals significant West Bank decision.

Israel Approves Major West Bank Settlement Expansion

Israel is making significant strides in its plan for increased settlements in the West Bank. The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved approximately 5,700 new settlement homes, with various levels of planning, according to the Associated Press.

This move has raised concerns from the United States. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller expressed deep trouble over the expansion, stating that it hinders the achievement of a two-state solution and obstructs peace, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.

However, Shlomo Ne’eman, the head of the Yesha Council, sees this expansion as a fitting response to those who seek to harm Israel. He believes it is the most appropriate Zionist answer to their adversaries.

Ariel Elmeliach, the mayor of the Eli settlement on the West Bank, also supports the expansion. He frames it as a perfect response to the recent shooting at his settlement, emphasizing that construction is the answer to terrorism, according to Haaretz.

Israel approves West Bank settlement expansion, legalizing outposts and building new homes https://t.co/RnVfJyqP28

— Haaretz.com (@haaretzcom) June 26, 2023

The residents of the Eli settlement have endured a shocking week, with the murder of four individuals. In response, they believe that the only answer to terrorism is more construction. They vow to build more neighborhoods and settlements in the places where Jews have been attacked.

According to AP, four Israelis were killed in the recent attack, and 1,000 of the approved houses are designated for the Eli settlement.

Currently, over 700,000 Israelis reside in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories captured by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War.

The expansion has faced condemnation from Palestinians. Wassel Abu Yousef, a Palestinian official in the West Bank, accuses the Netanyahu government of aggression and an open war against the Palestinian people. He asserts that all settler colonialism in the occupied Palestinian territories is illegitimate and illegal.

In a significant policy shift, the Biden administration has banned support for scientific research projects carried out by Israel in the West Bank, overturning a policy implemented by the Trump administration. This decision aligns with the long-standing US position against engaging in scientific and technological cooperation in areas subject to final-status negotiations, as reported by France 24.

Simcha Rothman, a member of Israel’s governing coalition, criticizes the Biden administration for its “pathological obsession” with Israel’s government.

It is clear that Israel’s settlement expansion in the West Bank has sparked controversy and drawn international attention. The situation remains complex and continues to evolve.

The post Netanyahu Defies Biden, Announces Major West Bank Move appeared first on The Western Journal.

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