sovereignty

“This will be the year” for full Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank, far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said after the election.

Under the changes, a large attack on Russia with conventional missiles, drones or aircraft could meet the criteria for a nuclear response, as could an attack on Belarus or any critical threat to Russia's sovereignty.

On Monday, Smotrich said that 2025 would be "the year of sovereignty" in the West Bank, adding that he had instructed Israeli authorities to begin preparatory work for annexation of the occupied territory.

Under the deal, the UK will hand over sovereignty of the islands while retaining control over a joint UK-US military base on the island of Diego Garcia, for an "initial period" of 99 years.

The vote comes after a historic agreement in which the UK gave up sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.