Foreign Policy: Israel Advancing End to Palestinian Self-Determination Amid Iran War

Foreign Policy published an analysis warning that under cover of the US-Israel war on Iran, Israel is pursuing a coordinated strategy to permanently end Palestinian self-determination. The report noted that talks for implementing Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan have 'slowed dramatically,' with no resolution on connections between Gaza and the West Bank, the mandate of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), or Hamas's future status. The Palestinian Authority faces a deepening financial crisis as Israel continues withholding nearly $2.5 billion of Palestinian clearance revenue. Israeli authorities approved 19 new settlements in December 2025 and issued tenders for thousands of units in the E1 area northeast of Jerusalem, a corridor whose development would sever East Jerusalem from the West Bank. The UN Security Council Deputy Special Coordinator called for consolidation of the Gaza ceasefire and a halt to settlement expansion.