An additional 3,500 illegal homes were added to the occupied West Bank, bringing the number of approved homes to nearly 20,000 last year.
Israel's plans to build thousands of new homes in the occupied West Bank have been widely condemned by several countries, including some of Tel Aviv's staunchest allies.
On Wednesday, the country's settlement planning agency approved the construction of nearly 3,500 new housing units for illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the first such approval since the start of Israel's war on Gaza on October 7 last year.
Israeli settlements have long been regarded by the international community as an obstacle to Palestinian statehood in violation of international law. They said the latest construction planned at Maale Adumim, Kedar and Efrat was in retaliation for the incident against illegal settlers in February.
The enemy is trying to hurt and weaken us, but we will continue to build and develop on this land," said Bezalel Smotrich, the far-right Israeli finance minister in charge of civil affairs in the West Bank.
Smotrich said these additions were added to the 18,515 housing units approved for illegal settlements last year.
The Palestinian Authority called the settlements illegal, adding that they were "a call for the continuation of the cycle of violence."
The ministry called for the swift implementation of international sanctions to stop Israel from building more settlements, as well as sanctions against [Minister Itamar **] Ben-Gvir and Smotridge, as well as any other Israel** that plays a role in deepening and financing illegal settlements, the ministry said in a statement.
Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, called Israel's move "a confirmation of the Zionist plan to control our land, limit our people and isolate them."
"We affirm that this false statement has no legal or legal basis and is nothing more than a message of contempt and recklessness," the group said in a statement. and called on the United Nations to "take punitive measures against this criminal entity and its Nazis."
Hamas also warned "not to remain silent about Israeli violations, which could increase tensions and escalation in the region."
Jordan*** stated that the settlements were a unilateral and illegal measure that violated international law and undermined peace efforts and the establishment of a Palestinian State.
Similarly, Saudi Arabia*** stated the need to "give hope to the Palestinian people so that they can have the right to live in security and to establish a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant international resolutions".
Further afield in Europe, Germany demanded that Israel withdraw these plans, adding that they "constitute a grave violation of international law."
"We strongly condemn the decision to build more settlements in the West Bank," the country's federation said in a statement. ”
Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the plans were "illegal, disappointing, and not conducive to achieving lasting peace."
Our ** remains adamantly opposed to settlement expansion," Blinken said at a news conference last week in Buenos Aires, Argentina's capital.
In our judgment, this will only weaken rather than strengthen Israel's security," he added, although he did not mention the specific consequences that Israel could face as a settlement expansion.