Israeli Settlements Minister Orit Strock will proceed with her settlement-expanding projects for the benefit of the settlers, considering the US criticism of increasing funding a formality, according to informed sources.
The sources said Strock is happy to collect about $280 million, seeking to allocate another billion from the 2023-2024 budget to strengthen the Jewish presence in Judea and Samaria, even if Washington does not like this.
The settlers' website, Channel 7, revealed that Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich would allocate vast amounts of money estimated at hundreds of millions under vague items for settlements, most of which are assigned to existing locations north of the Dead Sea, the Jordan Valley, and south of Hebron.
Smotrich is cooperating with the Ministry of the Interior to provide the infrastructure for several projects to bring in tens of thousands of new settlers.
The economic newspaper Calcalist revealed a plan to allocate about $180 million from the 2023-2024 budget to expand the settlements.
The newspaper stated that this money would be deducted from the budget of other ministries, including education, security, and foreign affairs, in addition to a third of the budget allocated to Strock's ministry.
The law enacted in the Knesset provides for the abolition of the "reasonableness law" and will make it easier for the government to push such decisions with such arbitrary standards without the court intervening to cancel it.
On Thursday, the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, met the Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, who is close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The meeting addressed the importance of de-escalating tensions and Washington's commitment to a two-state solution to the Israeli conflict with Palestinians.
State Department Deputy spokesman Vedant Patel said that Blinken received the Israeli minister in Washington and told him that "expansion of settlements undermines the geographic viability of a two-state solution, and the US firmly opposes it.
Patel explained that Blinken and Dermer also discussed "regional challenges like the continued threat posed by Iran and its proxies, and they discussed Israel's further integration into the region."
In his press conference, the spokesman was asked about the Netanyahu government's plan, led by Stork, to allocate about $180 million to expand and build illegal settlements and outposts in the West Bank. He asserted the administration's "clear and consistent" opposition to expanding settlements.
"It incites tensions, and further harms trust between the two parties. And we strongly oppose the advancements of settlements and urge Israel to refrain from this activity, including promoting outposts. We take this issue very seriously, and it impinges on the viability of a two-state solution."
Patel said Blinken stressed the importance of Israel and the Palestinians taking positive steps to de-escalate tensions and promote stability in the West Bank.
The two officials also addressed the ongoing efforts to promote Israel's full integration into the Middle East, referring to US efforts to mediate a normalization agreement with Arab countries.
