Israel Advances Settlement Expansion in West Bank Amid Controversy
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced approval of a new E1 settlement plan in Ma'aleh Adumim, which he claims will effectively end the idea of a Palestinian state by splitting the West Bank, though official confirmation is pending. The plan involves constructing 3,401 housing units and has received strong local support, but has been criticized internationally as a setback to the two-state solution.