Israel finances 61 new settlements in occupied West Bank before even approving them

While the world’s attention is focused on the war between the United States and Iran, the Israeli government was due to approve on Thursday, June 11, a plan to finance the establishment of 61 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, according to Axios journalist Barak Ravid, citing a source familiar with the matter. The government is reportedly preparing to allocate more than $350 million over several years to build the settlements, even before planning procedures are completed.That is what distinguishes the project from previous waves of settlement expansion. Until now, new settlements had to pass through a multistep approval process, including a period during which objections could be filed — primarily by Palestinian residents and NGOs — followed by validation from the Higher Planning Council. Under the new plan, however, the...