Israel’s security cabinet has approved a plan to designate 13 Jewish settlements in the West Bank as independent entities, separating them from their parent communities, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Sunday.
The move follows recent approvals for tens of thousands of new housing units across the region and comes amid heightened security concerns following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack.
Smotrich, posting on X, hailed the decision as a step toward “actual sovereignty in Judea and Samaria,” the term Israel uses for the West Bank. “We continue to lead a revolution of normalisation and regulation in the settlements. Instead of hiding and apologising – we raise the flag, build and settle,” he said, arguing that recognizing each settlement as independent will resolve longstanding management challenges.
The decision has deepened tensions in a region already marked by conflict. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the separation as a disregard for international legitimacy and resolutions. Hamas, the militant group that governs Gaza, denounced the move as a “desperate attempt to impose realities on the ground and consolidate colonial occupation on Palestinian lands.”
Israeli officials have cited security concerns as a key factor in the decision. In recent weeks, Israel has intensified counter-terrorism operations in the West Bank, targeting suspected militants in response to fears of further attacks similar to those on October 7, 2023.
Around 700,000 Israeli settlers now live among 2.7 million Palestinians in the West Bank and east Jerusalem—territory captured by Israel in 1967 during the six-day war. While most of the international community considers these settlements illegal under international law, Israel disputes this, citing historical and biblical ties to the land.
The move has been welcomed by pro-settler politicians, with Smotrich—a prominent figure in the far-right Religious Zionism party and a key coalition partner of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—asserting that the new status will facilitate the settlements’ growth and development. Critics, however, warn that such unilateral actions could further complicate the already fraught prospects for a lasting peace in the region.
A high-level meeting between Israeli and Turkish delegations was held to discuss diplomatic and security issues. The information was shared on the official “X” social media account of the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.
Turkish and Israeli officials held first technical talks aimed at preventing unwanted incidents in Syria, where militaries of the two regional powers are active, Turkish ministry sources and an Israeli political source said on Thursday.
Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Israel, Jeyhun Bayramov and Gideon Sa'ar, met in Abu Dhabi to explore ways to deepen cooperation and address key regional developments.
Hamas launched rockets at southern Israeli cities as both sides trade blame for the collapse of ceasefire talks.
The Israeli military said on Friday it had killed Hassan Farhat, a commander of Palestinian militant group Hamas, in the Sidon region of southern Lebanon.
U.S. President Donald Trump will personally attend a key meeting with Japanese trade officials on Wednesday, signaling his direct involvement in negotiations stemming from his recent wave of tariffs on global imports.
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has postponed the next presidential election by several months, fueling speculation about his intention to seek a second term. The move allows him to complete his full six-year mandate and marks a potential shift toward greater political consolidation.
Türkiye has firmly rejected Greece's unilateral actions and claims regarding maritime spatial planning (MSP) in the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, asserting that these actions will have no legal consequences for Ankara.
A passenger boat caught fire and capsized late Tuesday on the Congo River, killing at least 50 people and leaving hundreds more missing, officials confirmed Wednesday. The tragedy occurred near the northwestern town of Mbandaka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A new wave of attacks targeting French prisons has emerged overnight, with cars set on fire at several facilities, including at the Tarascon prison in southern France.
A small plane crashed near Kopake, New York, on April 13, killing at 6 people. The Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft, carrying six people, went down under unclear circumstances. This marks the second aviation accident in New York in a week, raising safety concerns.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 10th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A quiet Thursday afternoon at St. Peter’s Basilica turned into something extraordinary, as visitors caught a rare glimpse of Pope Francis — not in his familiar white papal robes, but dressed in black trousers and a striped blanket.
In a dramatic about-face, U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a 90-day pause on newly implemented tariffs for dozens of countries — a move that eased market turmoil but further escalated tensions with China.
Several regions in Ukraine faced heightened alert on Palm Sunday, as reports of explosions and missile threats drew public attention and official responses.
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has postponed the next presidential election by several months, fueling speculation about his intention to seek a second term. The move allows him to complete his full six-year mandate and marks a potential shift toward greater political consolidation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in Moscow on Thursday, with discussions expected to center on the ongoing situation in Ukraine and broader Middle Eastern regional affairs, the Kremlin announced on Wednesday.
The presidents of Azerbaijan and Georgia held talks in Baku, reaffirming their centuries-old friendship, strategic partnership, and commitment to regional peace, stability and cooperation.
The 2nd Central Asia Media Forum is underway in Astana, Kazakhstan, gathering media leaders and experts from across the region and beyond. The forum focuses on media development prospects, digital transformation, and regional cooperation in the age of AI and big data.
U.S. President Donald Trump will personally attend a key meeting with Japanese trade officials on Wednesday, signaling his direct involvement in negotiations stemming from his recent wave of tariffs on global imports.
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has postponed the next presidential election by several months, fueling speculation about his intention to seek a second term. The move allows him to complete his full six-year mandate and marks a potential shift toward greater political consolidation.
Türkiye has firmly rejected Greece's unilateral actions and claims regarding maritime spatial planning (MSP) in the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, asserting that these actions will have no legal consequences for Ankara.
A passenger boat caught fire and capsized late Tuesday on the Congo River, killing at least 50 people and leaving hundreds more missing, officials confirmed Wednesday. The tragedy occurred near the northwestern town of Mbandaka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A new wave of attacks targeting French prisons has emerged overnight, with cars set on fire at several facilities, including at the Tarascon prison in southern France.
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