Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has stated that plans to construct over 3,000 homes in a contentious settlement project in the occupied West Bank would “bury the idea of a Palestinian state.”
The project, located between Jerusalem and the Maale Adumim settlement, has been on hold for decades due to strong international opposition. Reports indicate that developing the area would effectively sever the West Bank from occupied East Jerusalem.
Settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal under international law and remain one of the most contentious issues in the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The announcement has sparked concerns that such construction could further undermine prospects for a two-state solution.