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Israeli MPs advance bill to legalise West Bank outposts | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Israeli MPs have given preliminary backing to a controversial bill to legalise thousands of unauthorised Jewish homes in the West Bank. | |
It applies to "outposts" - settlements built without official approval in the area occupied by Israel since 1967. | |
The international community regards all settlements as illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this. | |
Palestinians see settlements as a major obstacle to a peace deal with Israel. | |
They want all settlements and outposts to be removed from the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which they seek for a future Palestinian state. | |
According to the anti-settlement movement Peace Now, there are 97 outposts, as well as more than 130 settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. | |
The bill, which would legitimise about 4,000 settler homes, still needs to pass three readings in Israel's parliament to become law. | |
Its main backer, Education Minister Naftali Bennett, has called it the eventual start of Israel's annexation of most of the occupied territory. | |
The move has drawn international criticism, including from the US, Israel's closest ally. |
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