Israel's cabinet is expected to approve a plan to fund the de facto establishment of 61 new settlements in the West Bank on Thursday, according to Axios's Barak Ravid.
"Many of the settlements included in the proposal are located in strategically sensitive areas," Ravid wrote, "including along Highway 90 in the Jordan Valley, in the South Hebron Hills, and in locations designed to create territorial continuity between existing settlements."
The funding will cover temporary mobile homes, public facilities, community infrastructure and support services, in what Ravid called "one of the most significant settlement expansion moves in decades," adding that the funding for these structures would begin even before the planning process was fully completed.
In later stages of the proposal, the government would also fund more permanent development work for the settlements, including building roads and installing utilities.
Ravid highlighted that the proposal's unusual move of allowing a temporary site to be established before planning procedures could be completed would set a significant precedent, allowing the government to set "facts on the ground" to later evolve into permanent settlements.
Right-wing pushing for Israeli sovereignty over West Bank
Right-wing ministers and lawmakers have continuously pushed for Israeli sovereignty over all areas in the West Bank, drawing sharp criticism and condemnation from leaders of various countries worldwide.
In another decision, 2,162 new housing units were approved to be developed in West Bank settlements by the Higher Planning Council, which is a body that operates under the Defense Ministry, Smotrich announced earlier this month.
Smotrich welcomed this decision, saying that “we are continuing to build the Land of Israel in practice.”
He added that the establishment of the new housing units was “not merely planning measures."
“They are national initiatives that strengthen our hold on the land, reinforce Israel’s security, and establish clear facts on the ground that prevent the creation of an Arab terrorist state in the heart of the country.”