MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Regulation Bill seeks to retroactively authorize 55 settlements and 4,000 housing units in privately-owned territories in the West Bank, the Times of Israel newspaper reported.
The legislation was passed at a late Monday session by 60 votes to 49. It will be put to a second vote on Tuesday, with a total of three readings needed for it to become a law.
The right-wing Jewish Home party leader Naftali Bennett lauded the parliamentary approval as a step away from establishing a Palestinian state and toward "a path of extending sovereignty to Judea and Samaria," as quoted by the newspaper.
Opposition leader Isaac Herzog said it was a dark day for the parliament and warned the government it was committing a national suicide. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cautioned the parliament previously the law could put Israel on trial at the International Criminal Court.