On August 14, 2024, Bezalel Smotrich, Israel's finance minister, revealed plans for a new settlement in the occupied West Bank. This announcement comes just one day before scheduled Gaza peace talks, which are considered crucial for preventing a wider regional conflict.
The proposed settlement, named Nachal Heletz, will cover 60 hectares and be part of the Gush Etzion settlement cluster. Gush Etzion is a group of Israeli settlements located in the northern Judean Mountains, connecting the area to nearby Jerusalem. Smotrich, who leads a pro-settler party and is himself a settler, stated that this move is a response to actions by the Palestinian West Bank leadership and countries recognizing a Palestinian state.
"No anti-Israel or anti-Zionist decision will stop the development of the settlement. We will continue to fight against the dangerous idea of a Palestinian state. This is the mission of my life."
The international community, including most United Nations member states, considers settlements in the West Bank and other territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war to be illegal under international law. However, Israel disputes this claim, citing historical and biblical ties to the land.
This latest development follows Israel's June 2024 announcement to legalize five outposts in the West Bank, establish three new settlements, and seize large areas of land where Palestinians seek to create an independent state. The Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited control over the West Bank under Israeli military occupation, has condemned these actions as ethnic cleansing, an allegation Israel denies.
In May 2024, Spain, Ireland, and Norway joined the majority of UN states in recognizing a Palestinian state, viewing it as the only path to lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Israel criticized this move, claiming it bolsters Hamas, the militant group controlling Gaza.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, which began in October 2023, has raised concerns about potential escalation into a regional war involving Iran and its proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon. A new round of internationally mediated talks is scheduled to take place in Qatar on August 15, 2024, although Hamas has stated it will not attend.
Peace Now, an Israeli NGO, criticized Smotrich's actions, stating that he continues to promote de facto annexation, disregarding the UNESCO Convention to which Israel is a signatory.
The situation remains tense, with little progress made towards Palestinian statehood since the signing of the Oslo Accords in the early 1990s. As the international community watches closely, the outcome of the upcoming peace talks and the impact of Israel's settlement plans on the region's stability remain uncertain.