Israel Approves 22 New Settlements in Occupied West Bank
The decision follows a secret vote by the Israeli security cabinet and includes legalizing previously unauthorized outposts.
Israel has confirmed plans to establish 22 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, a decision finalized following a secret vote by the security cabinet.
This announcement includes legalizing several outposts that were previously built without government authorization.
The West Bank has been under Israeli occupation since the Six-Day War in 1967, when Israel captured the territory from Jordan.
Since then, various Israeli governments have sought to solidify control over the land, often designating large areas as 'state lands' to restrict Palestinian ownership.
The motion for the new settlements was reportedly initiated by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Katz asserted that this settlement decision would 'strengthen our hold on Judea and Samaria,' using biblical terminology for the West Bank, and that it serves as a robust response to what he termed Palestinian terrorism.
He described the decision as strategic, aimed at preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state.
A spokesperson for the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem condemned the initiative, accusing Israel of perpetuating Jewish supremacy through the appropriation of Palestinian land and the ongoing displacement of Palestinians.
They claimed that the Israeli government is actively working to destroy Palestinian society and hinder prospects for a peaceful coexistence.
The Israeli government’s intention is to use these 22 new settlements to enhance Israel’s strategic presence along Route 443, which connects major urban centers including Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Israel Ganz, head of the Yesha council, characterized the settlement approval as the most significant decision since 1967.
In July 2023, Israel executed the largest land appropriation in the occupied West Bank in over three decades.
The government approved the appropriation of approximately 12.7 square kilometers of land in the Jordan Valley, which was deemed the most extensive single appropriation since the Oslo accords, a series of agreements aimed at achieving peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
According to leaked discussions, Smotrich disclosed that land confiscations in 2024 had reached levels ten times higher than past averages, emphasizing the strategic importance of these appropriations for altering the territorial landscape of the West Bank.
In recent months, Smotrich has proposed plans for an influx of 500,000 new Israeli settlers into the occupied West Bank.
Reports indicated that by mid-June 2024, Israeli military control had been transferred to pro-settler civil servants, leading to significant changes in the legal framework governing the West Bank.
From January to March 2024, the promotion of new housing units in the West Bank exceeded figures from the entirety of the previous year.
The ongoing approval of new settlements under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government reflects a continuing agenda to annex parts of the occupied Palestinian territory, an initiative that has received backing from previous U.S. administrations.
In response to these developments, Palestinian groups, including Hamas, have condemned the settlement expansion, urging the international community to take decisive action against what they consider violations of international law.
The Palestinian presidency described the Israeli cabinet's decision as a serious escalation that threatens regional stability and peace efforts.
Current estimates indicate that approximately 770,000 settlers reside in the West Bank, distributed across 180 settlements and 256 unauthorised outposts, which have seen significant growth despite widespread international criticism.
The United Nations has consistently deemed settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territories as illegal, warning that it undermines the possibility of a two-state solution.
This announcement includes legalizing several outposts that were previously built without government authorization.
The West Bank has been under Israeli occupation since the Six-Day War in 1967, when Israel captured the territory from Jordan.
Since then, various Israeli governments have sought to solidify control over the land, often designating large areas as 'state lands' to restrict Palestinian ownership.
The motion for the new settlements was reportedly initiated by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Katz asserted that this settlement decision would 'strengthen our hold on Judea and Samaria,' using biblical terminology for the West Bank, and that it serves as a robust response to what he termed Palestinian terrorism.
He described the decision as strategic, aimed at preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state.
A spokesperson for the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem condemned the initiative, accusing Israel of perpetuating Jewish supremacy through the appropriation of Palestinian land and the ongoing displacement of Palestinians.
They claimed that the Israeli government is actively working to destroy Palestinian society and hinder prospects for a peaceful coexistence.
The Israeli government’s intention is to use these 22 new settlements to enhance Israel’s strategic presence along Route 443, which connects major urban centers including Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Israel Ganz, head of the Yesha council, characterized the settlement approval as the most significant decision since 1967.
In July 2023, Israel executed the largest land appropriation in the occupied West Bank in over three decades.
The government approved the appropriation of approximately 12.7 square kilometers of land in the Jordan Valley, which was deemed the most extensive single appropriation since the Oslo accords, a series of agreements aimed at achieving peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
According to leaked discussions, Smotrich disclosed that land confiscations in 2024 had reached levels ten times higher than past averages, emphasizing the strategic importance of these appropriations for altering the territorial landscape of the West Bank.
In recent months, Smotrich has proposed plans for an influx of 500,000 new Israeli settlers into the occupied West Bank.
Reports indicated that by mid-June 2024, Israeli military control had been transferred to pro-settler civil servants, leading to significant changes in the legal framework governing the West Bank.
From January to March 2024, the promotion of new housing units in the West Bank exceeded figures from the entirety of the previous year.
The ongoing approval of new settlements under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government reflects a continuing agenda to annex parts of the occupied Palestinian territory, an initiative that has received backing from previous U.S. administrations.
In response to these developments, Palestinian groups, including Hamas, have condemned the settlement expansion, urging the international community to take decisive action against what they consider violations of international law.
The Palestinian presidency described the Israeli cabinet's decision as a serious escalation that threatens regional stability and peace efforts.
Current estimates indicate that approximately 770,000 settlers reside in the West Bank, distributed across 180 settlements and 256 unauthorised outposts, which have seen significant growth despite widespread international criticism.
The United Nations has consistently deemed settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territories as illegal, warning that it undermines the possibility of a two-state solution.
