Israel approves first new West Bank settlement in 20 years

Israel's security cabinet on Thursday approved the building of the first new settlement in the occupied West Bank in two decades, even as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu negotiates with Washington on a possible curb on settlement activity.

The unanimous vote in favor of construction of the new settlement in an area called Emek Shilo came after Netanyahu earlier told reporters: "I made a promise that we would establish a new settlement ... We will keep it today."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been simultaneously negotiating with the US government on reducing settlement activity.

A new settlement would be the first built in the West Banksince 1999. 

Palestinian officials have condemned the move.

"Today's announcement once again proves that Israel is more committed to appeasing its illegal settler population than to abiding by the requirements for stability and a just peace," Hanan Ashrawi, an executive committee member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.

Such settlements, in territory that Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war, are deemed illegal by most of the world. Israel cites biblical, historical and political links to the land, as well as security interests, to defend its actions.

The administration of US President Donald Trump has yet to comment on the Israeli vote.

Netanyahu first promised the new settlement to Jewish families at Emek Shilo in February, shortly before dozens of Israeli families were evicted from another West Bank settlement called Amona. Their houses were razed after Israel's Supreme Court said they were built illegally on privately owned Palestinian land.

Netanyahu then promised Amona residents that a new area would be found for them.

The issue of Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem has long been a major source of dispute between Israel and the Palestinians.

More than 600,000 Jews live in about 140 settlements built since Israel's 1967 occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Israel's pro-settlement government, which had sharp differences with Barack Obama administration on the issue, felt emboldened when Donald Trump took office in January.

Since then, it has authorised 6,000 new settlement homes, in one of the biggest surges for years.