Israeli authorities have approved more than 1,100 new settlement homes in the occupied West Bank, the Peace Now NGO said today, the latest in a raft of such moves in recent months. The approvals were given yesterday by a defence ministry committee with authority over settlement construction.<br/><br/>Some 352 of the homes received final approval. A total of 1,122 housing units were advanced, including seven already existing homes given retroactive approval. <br/><br/>Israeli settlements are seen as illegal under international law and major obstacles to peace as they are built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state. <br/><br/>Prominent members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government openly oppose Palestinian statehood. <br/><br/>Israel faced sharp criticism from the administration of former US president Barack Obama over settlement construction, but that has not been the case with US President Donald Trump's White House and Israeli officials have sought to take advantage of his backing.