Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 07:54pm on 20 Aug 2025,Wednesday International
Israel has approved a controversial plan to build 3,400 homes in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank. Critics say the project would split the territory in two and block hopes for a Palestinian state. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the idea of a Palestinian state is “being erased.” The Palestinian Authority condemned the move as illegal and dangerous. The UK, Jordan, and Germany also voiced opposition, warning it violates international law. Settlement building has expanded under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, with over 700,000 settlers now living in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. (PC: Reuters)
