Gaza: Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Tuesday the allocation of a budget of 1.3 billion shekels ($434 million) for establishing 34 new colonies in the occupied West Bank.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, Smotrich described the Israeli cabinet's decision as 'historic' and a 'day of celebration for Israel and settlements'. He emphasized the move as a step towards enhancing the security of Israel, opposing the idea of establishing a Palestinian state, and strengthening Israeli claims to the territories referred to as Judea and Samaria by the Israeli government.
The term 'Judea and Samaria' is used by Israel to refer to the occupied West Bank, aiming to reinforce its claims to the territory by imbuing it with historical and religious significance. Currently, over 700,000 Israeli colonists reside in settlements within the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which are considered illegal under international law.