Israel approves 3,401 new West Bank homes, risking peace talks and international law.

Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has approved plans for 3,401 new housing units in the West Bank, a move criticized as jeopardizing the possibility of a future Palestinian state. The E1 project, which has been under consideration for over two decades, could divide the West Bank into two separate parts. This comes as several countries plan to recognize a Palestinian state in September, and the international community views such settlement construction as illegal and an obstacle to peace.