\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200bJERUSALEM\/ANKARA <\/p>\n
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich approved a plan to establish a new illegal Jewish settlement with 3,600 housing units in occupied East Jerusalem, media reports said Thursday.<\/p>\n
The \u201cMishmar Yehuda\u201d settlement will be built on 3,380 dunams (835 acres) of land in the eastern part of the city, according to Channel 7.<\/p>\n
Smotrich announced on US social media platform X that the settlement will serve as \u201ca strategic base to protect Jerusalem from the east\u201d and is part of Israel\u2019s policy to reinforce control over the area.<\/p>\n
While the new settlement violates international law, Smotrich argued it would \u201cprovide tens of thousands of housing units\u201d and \u201cstrengthen the eastern perimeter of Jerusalem.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said the \u201chistoric\u201d plan would help solidify Israeli sovereignty and prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state in the occupied West Bank.<\/p>\n
The Israeli Cabinet also approved the establishment of 19 illegal settlements in the West Bank on Dec. 12, further escalating annexation measures.<\/p>\n
The Israeli left-wing group Peace Now said about 500,000 illegal Israeli settlers live in settlements across the West Bank, while another 250,000 live in settlements built on land in occupied East Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
Expanding and formally annexing the West Bank would effectively end the possibility of implementing a two-state solution, an Israeli and a Palestinian state, as outlined in UN resolutions.<\/p>\n
Israel was established in 1948 on Palestinian land, and later occupied the remaining Palestinian territories. Successive Israeli governments have rejected a withdrawal and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.<\/p>\n