Israel's Cabinet approves 19 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank
Source: AP
By MELANIE LIDMAN
Updated 9:11 AM CST, December 21, 2025
Leer en español
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) Israels Cabinet has approved a proposal for 19 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, the far-right finance minister said Sunday, as the government pushes ahead with a construction binge in the territory that further threatens the possibility of a Palestinian state.
That brings the total number of new settlements over the past few years to 69, a new record, according to Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich, who has pushed a settlement expansion agenda in the West Bank. The latest ones include two that were previously evacuated during a 2005 disengagement plan.
The approval increases the number of settlements in the West Bank by nearly 50% during the current far-right governments tenure. In 2022, there were 141 settlements across the West Bank. After the latest approval, there are 210, according to Peace Now, an anti-settlement watchdog group.
Settlements are widely considered illegal under international law.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-settlements-west-bank-6923448a5956ff4d90b240d871db33e6
iemanja
(57,387 posts)Disgusting land grab.
questionseverything
(11,561 posts)iemanja
(57,387 posts)wolfie001
(7,087 posts)Israeli leader should be under the prison with Diaper Don.
Orrex
(66,675 posts)wolfie001
(7,087 posts)Many were killed just to cause divide and interfere in the US election while giving the finger to Biden and Blinken. Rancid POS.
Martin68
(27,061 posts)patphil
(8,730 posts)Keep building new settlements, and letting Israeli terrorists drive Palestinians out to make room for more settlements.
Eventually Israel achieves it's "from the river to the sea" dream.
They won't be satisfied until they have it all, and without a Palestinian in sight.
Sorry to be so harsh, but this is the reality of it.
rampartd
(3,793 posts)they really want the temple rebuilt.
Bayard
(28,577 posts)This is not Israeli land! It would be like trump sending settlers to Mexico or Canada, and killing any of those citizens who got in the way..
slightlv
(7,438 posts)not in the place of violence, nor with the international community. I can't believe Israel, as a government (at least) has lost its way so badly. All they do is create more violence for the future. It's almost as tho they don't WANT the violence and killing to end... perhaps its the only way (like trump) they see of staying in power.
moonscape
(5,636 posts)slightlv
(7,438 posts)and people dying. It's all so stupid. My head hurts.
wolfie001
(7,087 posts)2,000-year-old horseshit. Won't end well ever.
JustABozoOnThisBus
(24,594 posts)I mean, as long as we're taking land ...
wolfie001
(7,087 posts)Flaming POS.
Aussie105
(7,645 posts)And above all, mistrust of the 'other'.
Seems to be a trademark and mindset of some.
Not talking about the Middle East there, just my observations on the responses to the Bondi beach incident a week ago, here in Australia.
The rage comes from the Jewish people and many politicians here in Australia.
And yet the Jewish community here is strangely silent on the much worse atrocities happening daily in Gaza.
Do they approve perhaps?
Violence over there is fine, but not on Australian soil?
What is worse, there is only blaming and thoughts of punitive retribution in peoples' minds.
There is no analysis into the background or reasons why a father and son would take this drastic action.
The blanket term of Terrorism! covers it all. Or does it?
Anyhow - Israel's intention has always been land clearance and settlement spreading in territory that isn't supposed to be theirs.
Lonestarblue
(13,227 posts)And they are accomplished by murdering with impunitythe Palestinians who live there. How can Israel ever hope for peace when they repeatedly break the law and commit atrocious acts against Palestinians? Where is the accountability?
electric_blue68
(25,924 posts)RedWhiteBlueIsRacist
(1,801 posts)wolfie001
(7,087 posts)The christo-fascists want all the Jews back in the homeland so Jesus can return and wipe them out. These are lunatics we have to live next to. Fucking nuts.
marble falls
(71,086 posts)... game of some sort, line up all the pieces and abra cadabra presto chango, you getcher jebus.
Hypocrites hate Jews, but love Israel.
wolfie001
(7,087 posts)questionseverything
(11,561 posts)marble falls
(71,086 posts)questionseverything
(11,561 posts)As far as Christians electing, many races both the democrat and the repub candidates support AIPAC ( like in Maine) so voters dont have a real choice
RedWhiteBlueIsRacist
(1,801 posts)along with the Jewish settlers.
questionseverything
(11,561 posts)That are encouraging this illegal land grab but I think their group is much smaller than the Jewish group ( at least in Israel)
And it certainly isnt all Christians
DrFunkenstein
(8,899 posts)It's worth a Google search.
fujiyamasan
(1,227 posts)Its extensive and shows the maps. These communities are being systematically destroyed.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/12/20/world/middleeast/west-bank-settlements.html
Ill post the archive link later if needed.
Botany
(76,398 posts)N/t