Israeli government to legalise 35 percent of West Bank outposts: Report

The Israeli government is advancing a plan to legalise 35 percent of Israeli outposts in Area C of the occupied West Bank, according to a new report by the Israeli human rights organisation, Bimkom.

Since February, Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has led this effort, aiming to legalise 70 of the 200 illegal outposts in the fully Israeli-controlled Area C, the organisation stated.

"As part of this process, Israel is working to immediately connect these outposts to water and electricity infrastructure, establish public buildings within them, and halt enforcement proceedings against them," the report noted.

"The initiative further exacerbates planning discrimination against the Palestinian population."