This Jan 30, 2023 photo shows a general view of the West Bank Jewish settlement of Efrat. (PHOTO / AP)

RAMALLAH - Palestinian authorities on Friday rejected the Israeli government's plan to allocate $190 million fund to deepen settlement construction in the West Bank by financing random outposts.

More than 600,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to official Palestinian figures

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said that the right-wing Israeli government "is racing against time to steal more land to accelerate the undeclared gradual annexation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem," in response to the plan raised by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

"We live the echo of the expansionist colonial Israeli policy every day amid an escalation of violations and crimes of the occupation authorities and settlers, which is a practical translation of the Israeli government's decisions," the ministry said in a statement.

ALSO READ: Israel's plan for 450 settlement units in East Jerusalem rejected

It held the Israeli government "fully and directly responsible for its settlement building and expansion decisions and their results on the conflict arena and on the entire region."

More than 600,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to official Palestinian figures.

Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967 and has since established settlements there, which are considered violations of international law.