Israel’s government has signed a plan to expand Jerusalem’s borders into the occupied West Bank, marking the first move of this kind since 1967. The plan involves building about 2,780 housing units in the Geva Binyamin settlement, northeast of Jerusalem, on the West Bank side of the separation barrier. Israel has controlled East Jerusalem since 1967 and later annexed it, a step not recognized internationally. Palestinians consider East Jerusalem the capital of their future state. The expansion plan was revealed early this month amid rising global criticism. Many see these actions as part of Israel’s efforts to strengthen control over the West Bank, which critics call a de facto annexation of Palestinian land. The Israel Ministry of Construction and Housing announced the project as a westward extension of the Geva Binyamin (also called Adam) settlement. Two Israeli NGOs have raised alarms over this settlement expansion, warning it changes the status quo in the region.