RAMALLAH (Dispatches) -- 
Israel has once again greenlit the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, approving 764 new settler units across three Jewish settlements — a move likely to inflame tensions and further obstruct any prospects for peace.
Extremist Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, a notorious settler leader, announced Wednesday that the so-called higher planning council approved 478 units in Hashmonaim, 230 in Beitar Illit, and 56 in Givat Ze’ev. 
Smotrich framed the decision as a “strategic move to strengthen settlement and ensure continuity of life, security and growth,” a statement that underscores the Zionist regime’s blatant disregard for international law. Since assuming office, Smotrich has sanctioned a total of 51,370 settler units in the West Bank, cementing Israel’s aggressive agenda.
The settlements are widely regarded as illegal under international law, with numerous UN Security Council resolutions condemning their expansion. Yet Israel’s far-right-led regime continues to flout global norms, prioritizing the consolidation of occupied land over human rights and justice.
Palestinian officials reacted with outrage. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson for President Mahmoud Abbas, condemned the decision as part of a “settlement policy that aims to ignite the region” and “drag it into a cycle of violence and war.” He called on the United States to pressure Israel to halt settlement expansion, warning that continued encroachment undermines efforts toward regional stability.
The decision comes amid a surge in settler violence against Palestinians. During October’s olive harvest, settlers carried out an average of eight attacks per day — the highest since UN monitoring began in 2006 — destroying crops, burning vehicles, desecrating mosques, and ransacking property. The violence persisted into November, with at least 136 reported incidents by the 24th. Israeli authorities have done little beyond issuing token condemnations, effectively enabling settlers to act with impunity.
These developments occur in the context of Israel’s broader campaign to cement control over Palestinian land. The regime of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, dominated by far-right figures such as Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, has approved controversial settlement projects and moves to seize historical sites in the West Bank — actions critics say are designed to make a future Palestinian state impossible.
With over 500,000 Israeli settlers already in the West Bank and 200,000 in east Al-Quds, the latest approvals demonstrate a systematic effort to entrench occupation and deny Palestinians their basic rights. As violence escalates and settlements expand, Israel’s policies continue to undermine peace, international law, and the possibility of a viable Palestinian state.