On July 16, local time, Israeli Defense Minister Katz announced that the Israeli government has approved a budget plan totaling more than 1 billion NIS to build Jewish settlements in the West Bank and new roads near the Negev Desert. According to a statement issued by the Israeli Defense Minister's office, the plan is part of the Israeli government's push for West Bank settlement construction and will be implemented in stages from 2026 to 2029. The issue of Jewish settlements is one of the main obstacles to peace talks between Palestine and Israel. Israel occupied East Jerusalem and parts of the West Bank in the 1967 Third Middle East War and built Jewish settlements, which aroused strong opposition from the Palestinian side.

On July 16, local time, Israeli Defense Minister Katz announced that the Israeli government has approved a budget plan totaling more than 1 billion NIS to build Jewish settlements in the West Bank and new roads near the Negev Desert. According to a statement issued by the Israeli Defense Minister's office, the plan is part of the Israeli government's push for West Bank settlement construction and will be implemented in stages from 2026 to 2029. The issue of Jewish settlements is one of the main obstacles to peace talks between Palestine and Israel. Israel occupied East Jerusalem and parts of the West Bank in the 1967 Third Middle East War and built Jewish settlements, which aroused strong opposition from the Palestinian side.