As the international donors for Gaza gathered on Monday to discuss rebuilding the devastated Gaza Strip, it was revealed by the Israeli group Peace Now that Israel is planning to expand colonies in the West Bank. There are now plans to build more than 70,000 illegal homes on the occupied Palestinian land.

Some consider this to be a natural extension of previous Israeli policies. Most likely though, the Jewish state is seeking to deliver a clear message to the Quartet and to the new US administration specifically: unilateral Israeli plans will be carried out regardless of international laws or the stalled peace process. Israel shows absolutely no commitment to the two-state solution and the current Israeli political scene reflects a lack of interest in either talking to the Palestinians or slowing down the pace of occupation. Israel is currently putting in place one of the most right-wing governments in recent years.

Even though Israel is aware of the fact that according to international law, in the absence of a peace deal, it must freeze its colony activity, the Jewish state's only consistent policy has been constructing and expanding colonies in the occupied territories. The onus is on the new US President Barack Obama to confront Israel and take rapid action to stop such illegal policies from being carried out.