Emboldened by President Trump, Israel approved 2,500 new settlement homes in the West Bank in a defiant wave of construction

Tuesday, January 24, 2017 10:40 AM EST

Just over a week after a gathering of world leaders warned that Israel must stop expanding its settlements in Palestinian-claimed territory, the announcement made clear that the Israeli government is feeling emboldened to shake off the constraints imposed by the Obama administration and more willing to disregard international condemnation.