The approval of the "E1" project would bisect the West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem, fragmenting territory Palestinians seek for an independent state. It was announced last week by far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and received the final go-ahead from a Defence Ministry planning commission on Wednesday.

Israel approved new settlements in the occupied West Bank, while its troops have reached the outskirts of Gaza City. The developments raise questions about the viability of a cease-fire proposal.

Israel demolishes a number of homes in the West Bank’s northern Jordan Valley, despite an order postponing the demolitions until September 3 amid a legal battle by local residents against the demolitions.

From January to June this year, the UN found that 149 Palestinians were killed by Israeli settlers or soldiers in the occupied West Bank. Nine Israelis were killed by Palestinians. Hours after the clashes that erupted around Brahim's farm on Saturday, another Palestinian casualty was added to that grim tally.

Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest, said on Monday it had decided to exclude six companies with connections to the West Bank and Gaza from its portfolio, following an ethics review of its Israeli investments.

Likud MK Boaz Bismuth said Tuesday that applying Israeli “sovereignty” in the West Bank was at least as important, and more urgent, than reaching normalization deals with neighboring countries.Bismuth,

Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip 20 years ago, dismantling 21 Jewish settlements and pulling out its forces.