Israel passes law to legalize thousands of settlement homes

JERUSALEM — Israel’s parliament on Monday passed a contentious law meant to retroactively legalize thousands of West Bank settlement homes built unlawfully on private Palestinian land, a step that is expected to trigger international outrage and a flurry of lawsuits.

The explosive law is the latest in a series of prosettler steps taken by Israel’s hard-line government since the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president. He is seen as more sympathetic to Israel’s settlement policies than his critical predecessor, and the Israeli government has approved plans to build thousands of new homes on occupied territory since Trump took office.

Critics say the legislation enshrines into law the theft of Palestinian land, and it is expected to be challenged in Israel’s Supreme Court. According to the law, landowners would be compensated either with money or alternative land, even if they did not agree to give up their property.

The vote passed 60-52 in Israel’s 120-member Knesset following a raucous debate.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had voiced misgivings about the law in the lead-up to vote, reportedly expressing concern that it could lead to international censure and saying he wanted to coordinate with the Trump administration before moving ahead on a vote.

He told reporters on a trip to London that he had updated Washington and was ready to move ahead with the law.

The White House’s immediate response was to refer to its statement last week that said the construction of new settlements “may not be helpful” in achieving peace.

Netanyahu’s attorney general has called the bill unconstitutional and said he won’t defend it in the Supreme Court.