Fri Dec 12 20:54:59 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and news article based on the provided text:

Summary:

Israel’s security cabinet approved a plan to formalize 19 illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and revive dismantled outposts. Palestinian officials strongly condemned the move, viewing it as an acceleration of annexation, land theft, and demographic engineering, further deepening violence. This decision is happening against a backdrop of increasing Israeli settler violence and forced displacement of Palestinians, coinciding with the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

News Article:

Palestinians Condemn Israel’s Settlement Plan as “Annexation” Amid Escalating West Bank Violence

West Bank – Palestinian officials are decrying Israel’s latest decision to formalize 19 settlements in the occupied West Bank as a dangerous escalation of annexation and land theft. The Israeli security cabinet’s move, which also includes reviving previously dismantled outposts, has sparked widespread condemnation from Palestinian authorities and factions.

Mu’ayyad Sha’ban of the Palestinian Authority’s Colonisation and Wall Resistance Commission warned that the plan is aimed at erasing Palestinian geography. Hamas released a statement saying the move “constitutes a dangerous escalation in the annexation and Judaisation project”.

Reports indicate the decision may have been coordinated with the United States, although this has not been independently confirmed. The move is being championed by figures such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a known supporter of settlement expansion.

The announcement comes against a backdrop of heightened tensions in the West Bank, with the UN reporting a significant increase in violence perpetrated by Israeli forces and settlers against Palestinians. According to OCHA, at least 232 Palestinians, including 52 children, have been killed this year alone. Settler attacks are averaging five per day, impacting over 270 communities. Over 1,000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced in Area C.

Palestinian National Council head Rouhi Fattouh, denounced the settlement expansion as a “double violation of international law,” accusing Israel of establishing a “de facto colonial authority” that is outlawed by international norms. Palestinian officials urged the UN and human rights organizations to confront what they called Israel’s “unchecked colonial behaviour”.

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