Mladenov: Gaza deadlock, West Bank escalation making two-state solution ‘impossible’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the removal of unauthorized settler outposts in the West Bank, according to two sources familiar with the matter. These outposts, typically consisting of prefabricated caravans housing small numbers of settlers, are established without official authorization from the Israeli state.

The state has occasionally demolished such structures, and in other cases, formally recognized them, allowing them to access government funding. The specific timing of the operation remains unclear.

Meanwhile, Israel's Supreme Court ruled that the defence authorities must facilitate the safe return of three Palestinian families to their homes in the West Bank village of Jalud. These families were chased out of their residences by settlers. The Israeli Supreme Court, along with most UN bodies and governments, views all Israeli settlements as illegal under international law and considers the West Bank to be occupied territory under military control. Israel, however, maintains that the territory is disputed and not occupied.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee denounced violent settlers as terrorists and called for them to face severe consequences following a meeting with several Palestinian Americans in a West Bank Palestinian town. The United States, Israel's closest ally, is reportedly pressuring Netanyahu to crack down on settler attacks on Palestinians.

Israel's Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, reportedly instructed the eviction of places built in Areas A and B of the West Bank, which are predominantly inhabited by Palestinians. Area C refers to parts of the West Bank where most Palestinians reside, and it is the only area where settlement expansion is permitted under international law. Smotrich, who is a settler himself, acknowledged the government's progress in advancing settlements in Area C.

The West Bank is divided into three zones under the Oslo Accords, a set of interim peace agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) reached in the 1990s. Smotrich, a settler, disagreed with Netanyahu's decision but acknowledged that the government had made significant strides in advancing settlements. There are currently 340 unauthorized outposts in the West Bank, along with 146 settlements that have been formally recognized by the Israeli government.