Israel's finance minister plans to allocate around $180m to illegal settlements and outposts in the occupied West Bank and other “unregulated areas”. Bezalel Smotrich says his plan will boost the economy and fight crime affecting Palestinian citizens of Israel.
According to the Israeli broadcaster Kan, the money will come from the reduction of budgets at other ministries, and the proposal is set to be put forward at the coming weekly cabinet meeting, where a government decision is expected to be made.
Outposts are built by Israeli settlers in the West Bank on private Palestinian lands without government authorisations, and are often turned into official settlements.
Smotrich’s plans have been condemned after he recently decided to hold back $55m dedicated to developing Palestinian municipalities in Israel and also froze $670m meant for Palestinians in Jerusalem.