[JURIST] Israel’s Knesset [official website] on Monday voted 60-52 in favor of a bill that retroactively legalizes the thousands of Jewish settlement homes currently located in the Palestinian West Bank territory. The new legislation allows [WSJ report] the government to seize private Palestinian lands and turn them over to the Jewish settlers currently residing there. Compensation will be provided to land owners in the form of money or alternative land plots. The bill was initially approved [JURIST report] by the Knesset last December and required further votes before becoming official law. The administration of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu [official profile] has hailed the recent decision as being in Israel’s best interest and has called for the further development and expansion of Israeli settlements. The international community, however, largely continues to regard the concerned settlements as illegitimate. Israel’s recent promotion of West Bank settlements has been interpreted as a push towards eventual annexation. Netanyahu is currently scheduled to meet next week with US President Donald Trump [official website], whose administration has suggested that such settlements “may not be helpful” in achieving Middle Eastern peace.

Recent conflicts between Israel and Palestine [HRW backgrounder] over settlements in the occupied West Bank have raised concerns over possible human rights violations. Last week a UN expert called for action [JURIST report] to ensure Israel complies with Security Council resolution 2234 [text, PDF], which confirms that Israeli settlements in already occupied Palestinian territory violate international law. Also last week Israel authorized [JURIST report] the construction of 3,000 housing units despite international objections. Last month Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he will be lifting restrictions [JURIST report] on Israelis building settlements in East Jerusalem. A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated [JURIST report] that the latest Israeli settlement plans creates an obstacle to a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, which is a “great concern to the Secretary-General.” The UN rights chief stated [JURIST report] in December that the Israeli settlement legislation violated international law. In November, the Israel High Court of Justice ruled that the controversial Amona settlement in the West Bank must be dismantled [JURIST report] by December 25. Earlier the same month Israel’s Ministerial Committee for Legislation unanimously approved [JURIST report] the Formalization Bill to legalize the West Bank outposts, which was intended in part to stop the evacuation of Amona outpost.