After pressure from Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionism party, the Israel Cabinet has approved ₪75 million (approximately $20 million) of funding for infrastructure, including security infrastructure, for illegal settlements in the Palestinian West Bank, reports the Times of Israel.
Euphemistically called “young settlements” by their supporters, the illegal outposts have never been formally approved by the government.
The money for the purchase of such items as generators, lighting, and rescue equipment, will be handled by the Settlements and National Projects Ministry, which is headed by Orit Strock, of Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party. “This is just the beginning,” said Strock.
