Volker Turk, the UN high commissioner for human rights, stated that the expansion of settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories constitutes a war crime.

“Reports this week that Israel plans to build a further 3,476 settler homes in Maale Adumim, Efrat and Kedar fly in the face of international law,” Turk said. 

Turk added that the Israeli Occupation's establishment and ongoing growth of settlements involve the transfer of its civilian population into the territories it occupies, constituting a violation of international law tantamount to a war crime.

Around 2,452 units will be built in the Ma'ale Adumim settlement, 694 in the Efrat settlement, and 330 in the Kedar settlement, Hebrew media reported. 

Last year, a total of 18,515 settlement units were approved in the West Bank, marking the largest number of new settlement units approved in a single year.

*Stay informed with our carefully curated content delivered directly to your inbox. Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive updates and in-depth analysis. Click here to subscribe.