A Palestinian man gestures as he talks to the media on the rubble of of Palestinian Raed Masalmeh’s home after it was demolished by Israeli army in the West Bank town of Dura, south of Hebron February 23, 2016.

The US State Department on Tuesday reiterated concerns over an Israeli bill to legalize some 4,000 settler homes in the West Bank, calling the legislation “profoundly damaging.”

Israeli lawmakers gave the bill preliminary approval late Monday amid a chorus of international criticism that it was an illegal land grab.

Strong supporters of the bill, including those who outright oppose a Palestinian state, rejoiced in the initial vote and said they hoped it could lead to eventual Israeli annexation of most of the occupied West Bank.

“Enacting this law would be profoundly damaging to the prospects for a two-state solution,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.

“We’ve also been troubled by comments that we’ve heard by some political figures in Israel that this would be the first step in annexing parts of the West Bank.”

The bill must pass three more votes in parliament before it becomes law, with the first likely to be held on Wednesday. “We’re deeply concerned about it,” Toner said.

“We hope that it does not become law. We certainly hope that changes or modifications can be made to it.”

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