Israel Approves 19 New West Bank Settlements, Aims to Block Palestinian Statehood

• Israel's Cabinet approved 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, including two previously dismantled.
• Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich stated the move aims to prevent Palestinian statehood, bringing total new approvals to 69 in two years.
• Rights groups like Peace Now report a nearly 50% increase in West Bank settlements under the current government, widely considered illegal internationally.
• The decision undermines US-backed efforts for a Gaza ceasefire and a "pathway" to a Palestinian state, drawing criticism from Donald Trump.
• Settlement expansion coincides with a sharp rise in settler violence against Palestinians, with UN reporting record attacks and property damage.

Why It Matters: Israel's new West Bank settlements escalate tensions, undermine peace efforts, and fuel violence.