India, Aug. 14 -- Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich on Thursday announced a new settlement construction in the Israel-occupied West Bank, which would effectively cut the territory into two parts. The announcement comes as many countries have said that they would recognise Palestine as a state in September.

"This reality finally buries the idea of a Palestinian state, because there is nothing to recognise and no one to recognise," said minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Palestinians and rights groups worry that if the West Bank is cut into two separate parts, then their plan for a future Palestinian state would be disrupted.

Smotrich warned that "anyone who tries today to recognise a Palestinian state - will receive an answer from us (I...