Israeli Government Grants Settler Minister Control Over West Bank Settlement Planning
In a move that has raised concerns and sparked condemnation, the Israeli government has granted a pro-settlement firebrand authority over planning in the occupied West Bank. This decision comes as Israel aims to streamline the settlement housing approval process and expand its settlements on land that the Palestinians view as the heartland of their future state.
The measure, approved by the government on Sunday, coincided with the visit of U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Barbara Leaf, who is responsible for Middle East affairs. The United States later expressed concern over Israel’s action, stating that it opposes unilateral actions that hinder the achievement of a two-state solution and impede the path to peace.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the Israeli government’s decision and called upon the international community to exert pressure on Israel to halt its illegal unilateral measures. The move has sparked fears that it will further complicate the already fragile peace process.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a pro-settlement advocate, has been given control over planning in West Bank settlements, a condition he had set to join the government. Traditionally, the authority over planning in the territory, which has been under a 56-year military occupation, lies with the country’s defense minister. Smotrich also holds a ministerial position within the Defense Ministry.
Critics argue that this decision not only normalizes construction in the West Bank, making it almost as simple as building anywhere in Israel proper, but also removes government oversight over sensitive building plans that can provoke international outrage. Previously, approvals from the political echelon were required throughout the planning process, but now only one initial approval is needed.
A senior Israeli government official defended the move, stating that it would streamline the planning approvals process and make it more efficient. However, Israel’s Peace Now anti-settlement watchdog group criticized the decision, accusing it of disregarding security and political considerations and perpetuating de facto annexation in the West Bank.
Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war and has since constructed numerous settlements, housing over 500,000 Jewish settlers alongside approximately 2.5 million Palestinians. The international community largely considers these settlements illegal under international law and a major obstacle to achieving peace with the Palestinians.
The Palestinians aspire to establish a future independent state in the West Bank, along with the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. In response to the Israeli government’s decision, a top Palestinian leader announced that the Palestinian Authority would boycott a joint economic meeting scheduled for Monday.
As tensions rise and hopes for peace seem more distant than ever, the international community faces the challenge of finding a way forward in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
