Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar strongly rejected criticism from several Western countries over Israel's recent approval of new communities in Judea and Samaria. Sa'ar emphasized that no foreign government can deny the Jewish right to live in the Land of Israel, calling such statements discriminatory and morally wrong. He defended the Cabinet's decision to establish and formalize settlements as necessary for addressing security threats, highlighting that all are located on state land in Area C. Sa'ar also accused foreign governments of ignoring illegal construction by the Palestinian Authority, while asserting that Israel's actions are consistent with international law and historical agreements. The Western countries' statement described Israel's move as a violation of international law and called for the reversal of settlement expansion, warning it could undermine regional peace efforts.