Overview

• Israel declared 800 hectares in the northern Jordan Valley as 'state lands', marking the largest seizure since the 1993 Oslo Accords.
• The move by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a far-right leader, has been criticized as illegal under international law.
• U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinkin, visiting Israel for Gaza war discussions, has expressed opposition to settlement expansion.
• International condemnation grows as settlement expansion is seen as a major obstacle to peace and a viable Palestinian state.
• Violence escalates in the West Bank, with increased tensions between settlers and Palestinian inhabitants.