Israel passes bill retroactively legalizing settlements

Israeli Parliament legalized West Bank settlements.
(Image credit: THOMAS COEX/AFP/Getty Images)

On Monday, Israel's parliament passed a controversial law retroactively legalizing Israeli settlements built on privately owned Palestinian land. The bill, which passed on a vote of 60-52, came just days after President Trump's administration warned Israel that expanding settlements "may not be helpful in achieving" peace in the Middle East.

Trump had previously indicated he would take a softer stance on settlements, which are largely condemned by the international community. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, apparently encouraged by Trump's more lenient approach, announced shortly after Trump's inauguration that he planned to build thousands of new settlements. Netanyahu reportedly alerted the Trump administration ahead of the vote Monday.

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