Israel approves construction of 19 new Jewish settlements in occupied West Bank

Israel has approved a proposal for 19 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank as the government pushes ahead with a construction binge in the territory that poses a further threat to the possibility of a Palestinian state, The Guardian writes.

It brings the total number of new settlements over the past few years to 69, a new record, according to the far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich.

The approval comes as the US pushes Israel and Hamas to move ahead with the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, which took effect on Oct. 10. The US-brokered plan calls for a possible “pathway” to a Palestinian state, something the settlements are aimed at preventing.