Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced that the government steering committee has approved an allocation of 113 million shekels (approximately $37 million) to assert control over more than 70 historical sites in the West Bank. This move aims to accelerate Israel's control over these locations and designate them as Jewish heritage sites, thereby expanding state control over Palestinian property and territory. On the same day, the Israeli Knesset's Finance Committee also approved nearly 300 million shekels (approximately $99 million) in direct allocations and commitments for the Ministry of Settlement Affairs. International law considers Israeli settlements illegal.