Settlement & Annexation Report: August 8, 2025

Welcome to FMEP’s Weekly Settlement & Annexation Report. To subscribe to this report, please click here.

August 8, 2025

  1. Israeli Planning Committee Convened on E-1 Settlement Plan, Decision Pending
  2. Israel Advances Plans to Expand Four Settlements in East Jerusalem: Gilo, Har Homa, East Talpiot, and Ramot
  3. New Outpost Near Bethlehem Tightens Settler Grip on Kisan
  4. In Highly Symbolic Trip, U.S. Speaker Johnson Visits the Ariel Settlement
  5. Bonus Reads

Israeli Planning Committee Convened on E-1 Settlement Plan, Decision Pending

On August 6th the High Planning Council convened for a final hearing on public objections submitted against the E-1 settlement plan. In an unusual delay, the Committee meeting ended without issuing its decision and as of publication the decision is still pending. The decision to reject the objections to the E-1 plan and advance it towards final approval could be issued by the Committee any day.

The hearing itself seemed to indicate the Committee’s strong support for the plan and intention to advance it to the final stage of approval. The hearing was scheduled on very short notice, so much so that none of the objectors were able to attend. Peace Now relayed that the committee meeting began with an argument between the committee members and a lawyer representing the Palestinian community of Al-Ezaria which stands to be displaced by E-1 construction. The lawyer asked the committee to be allowed to make preliminary arguments, which the Chair of the Committee rejected and proceeded to have a discussion on the plan.

The E-1 settlement has, for decades, been viewed as a “dooms-day” settlement and treated as a red-line for countries pushing diplomatic efforts towards a two state solution. E-1 is also vehemently opposed by Palestinians and human rights activists because of the impact it will have on thousands of bedouin, including Khan Al-Ahmar, who live in the area slated for the settlements’ construction, just east of Jerusalem. Construction of this settlement would have severe geopolitical implications (cutting the West Bank in half, cutting it off from East Jerusalem); would necessitate the forcible transfer of several bedouin communities (a war crime); and affect thousands of Palestinians (shredding the fabric of life). 

There have been attempts to promote the E-1 plan since the early 1990s, but due to wall-to-wall international opposition, the plan was not advanced until 2012. At that time Netaynuahu ordered it to be approved for deposit for public review (a key step in the approval process), ostensibly as payback for the Palestinians seeking recognition at the United Nations. Following an outcry from the international community, the plan again went into a sort of dormancy, only to be put back on the agenda by Netanyahu in February 2020. Though plans for construction have been repeatedly delayed, in the interim Israel has taken decisive steps to prepare for the construction of E-1, including building the “Sovereignty Road” in 2023, and then In March 2024, Israel seized the land – by declaring it “state land” –  designated for the construction of E-1.

Israel Advances Plans to Expand Four Settlements in East Jerusalem: Gilo, Har Homa, East Talpiot, and Ramot

Ir Amim reports that the Jerusalem District Planning Committee was scheduled to meet on August 4th to advance plans to expand three settlements in East Jerusalem, which if all approved would see 3,976 new settlement units built.

The plans considered for advancement are:

    1. Gilo South – 1,900 new units that will expand the Gilo settlement south towards Beit Jala/Bethlehem, to be built on land that includes ancient olive groves owned and tended to by residents of Beit Jala.
    2. Har Homa East – 660 new settlement units that will expand the settlement to the south and east, further encroaching on two Palestinian communities – Beit Sahour/Nu’man and Um Tuba – where residents are facing the threat of mass displacement at the hands of the Israeli government and settlers.
    3. East Talpiyot – 700 new units that will expand the settlement south further threatening to permanently divide the Palestinian neighborhoods of Sur Baher and Jabal Mukabber.
    4. Ramot – 900 new units that will expand the settlement north right up to the Separation Wall.

While Israeli authorities look to advance these plans for the benefit of settlers, authorities are also advancing plans for the mass displacement of Palestinians from East Jerusalem. Including most receipts plans to demolish a 5-story building in the A-Sawana neighborhood which will displace 17 families. In an all too common occurrence, the building was constructed without Israeli permits (which are systematically denied to Palestinians), and so Israel issued a demolition order against the building soon after it was built. The order has not been enforced for 22 years, but is now being pursued by and Israeli agency under the full control of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

New Outpost Near Bethlehem Tightens Settler Grip on Kisan

Middle East Eye reports settlers have established a new outpost east of Bethlehem near the Palestinian village of Kisan. Kisan has struggled against settler encroachment for decades, and OCHA reports that 65% of the village’s land has already been seized by Israel for the construction of settlements including Ma’ale Amos and Mizpe Shalem.

The village is almost completely surrounded by Israeli settlements and at least eight outposts, and has been the target of routine, sustained, and violent harassment by settlers. Over the past month, 23 families (128 people) from the areas surrounding Kisan were forcibly displaced by repeated violence attacks by settlers.

In Highly Symbolic Trip, U.S. Speaker Johnson Visits the Ariel Settlement

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R, LA-4) arrived in Israel this week and included a stop in the Ariel settlement on his itinerary, making him the highest ranking elected official to visit a settlement (though U.S. Ambassador David Friedman and former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have previously done so). 

Speaker Johnson was escorted on his trip to Ariel by Marc Zell, chairman of the Republicans Overseas Israel chapter, who gleefully celebrated Johnson’s visit and the support Johnson offered to Israel’s annexation of the West Bank. According to Zell, Johnson said that “the mountains of Judea and Samaria are the rightful property of the Jewish People.”

Israel Hayom reports that the settler Yesha Council was key to arranging Johnson’s visit to Ariel, and sees it as “a step towards legitimizing Israeli settlement.” Axios reports that the evangelical group “U.S. Israel Education Association” (USIEA) was the main organizer of Johnson’s stay in Israel. USIEA is run by American evangelical mega-church pastors Heather Johnston, and the organization is a pro-Israel, pro-settlement, non-profit group which works with the Family Research Council to lead Congressional delegations to Israel. USEIA has previously signed contracts with the Israeli government to bring thousands Israeli high schoolers to the Ariel settlement to help Jewish Israeli students who are “disconnected from the roots of their faith” to establish “a deeper connection to God by embracing their biblical and cultural heritage.” The website also says that Ariel is “at the forefront of biblical prophecy unfolding in modern Israel.”

Drop Site News reports that Speaker Johnson’s trip to the Ariel settlement connects to a long-running evangelical Christian apocalyptic movement calling for the construction of the Third Temple in order to usher in the end of times (as believed by dispensationalist Christians). 

Johnson was joined on his trip to Israel by Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee-Sanders (who is the daughter of the current U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee), Reps. Moran, McCaul, Tenney, and Cloud. Rep. Claudia Tenney serves as the chair of the Friends of Judea and Samaria Caucus in the U.S. Congress, and champions legislation to acknowledge Israel sovereignty over the West Bank. The trip is being labelled a private trip, and not an official one. 

At the CUFI conference In March 2024 Johnson stated: “The United States must show unwavering strength and support for Israel.” He continued, “God is going to bless the nation that blesses Israel. We understand that that’s our role. It’s also our biblical admonition. This is something that’s an article of faith for us.”

Bonus Reads

  1. “Israeli Settlers Torch Palestinian Farmhouse, Tag Walls With ‘Revenge’ and ‘Price Tag‘” (Haaretz, 8/4/25)
  2. “Court Clears Settler of Assaulting Bedouin Women and a Toddler in the West Bank” (Haaretz, 8/5/25)
  3. “Thousands of Israelis Marched to Gaza – Not to Free It, but Rather to Call for Renewed Jewish Settlement” (Haaretz, 8/4/25)

Welcome to FMEP’s Weekly Settlement & Annexation Report. To subscribe to this report, please click here.

July 31, 2025

  1. Another Palestinian Community Displaced by Settler Terrorism
  2. Settlers Takeover Ein Samiya Spring, Creating Water Crisis for Dozens of Ramallah-Area Villages
  3. Nu’man Faces Demolition As Decades of “Silent Transfer” Reach Breaking Point
  4. Smotrich Calls Gaza Settlements a “Realistic Work Plan” as Activists March to Gaza
  5. Beloved South Hebron Hills Activist Shot Dead By Sanctioned Settler
  6. Bonus Reads

Another Palestinian Community Displaced by Settler Terrorism

On July 27th,over 100 residents of the Deir Alla bedouin community fled their village under the escalating, violent encroachment and coercive threats of Israeli settlers. Many families from Deir Alla had previously left the village, located in the Jordan Valley, and a violent series of settler attacks over the last week coerced the remaining few into leaving.

On Wednesday July 23rd, settlers illegally built a new outpost using an abandoned home inside of the village. Residents notified the IDF, which visited the settlers the next day but did not make the settlers leave. That night after the army left, Haaretz reports about 30 settlers attacked Deir Alla – vandalizing homes and threatening residents with arson and expulsion. On Friday night the settlers followed through on their threats and set fire to buildings in Deir Alla. Israeli authorities did respond to this attack, detaining and later releasing 12 settlers. Then, on Saturday the settlers attacked again, vandalizing more homes, destroying solar panels and the local water network, and stealing goods. Later that day, settlers returned to the village and threatened residents – telling them to abandon their homes or face violence. Under these conditions, residents of Deir Alla were expelled from the village. Once the Palestinians had left, settlers destroyed all structures in the abandoned village.

Settlers Takeover Ein Samiya Spring, Creating Water Crisis for Dozens of Ramallah-Area Villages

Following years of attempts and weeks of escalating attacks, on July 21st settlers appear to have succeeded in taking control over the Ein Samiya spring and a nearby pool, located near Ramallah. The settlers also vandalized and damaged pumping stations which transferred water from the spring to at least 30 nearby Palestinian communities. The Jerusalem Water Undertaking told Haaretz that the damage to the pumping stations has resulted in a complete shut down of the pumps and pipes, which has already resulted in prolonged water outages affecting 32 Palestinian communities. The settlers’ seizure of the spring has created a water crisis.

Haaretz reports the settlers have renamed the spring and launched a crowdfunding campaign to support and advance their theft of resources in that area. Several settlers have posted videos from the spring, celebrating their theft and announcing plans to divert water to the spring from a nearby stream. The effort raised at least $33,000 USD in its first days.

Nu’man Faces Demolition As Decades of “Silent Transfer” Reach Breaking Point

Ir Amim reports the imminent threat of demolition facing the Palestinian village of Nu’man, located in the expanded borders of Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem. After decades of fighting the Israeli bureaucracy for the ability to remain on their land and in their homes, on June 10th Israeli authorities delivered demolition notices to each and every home in Nu’man.

Ir Amim writes:

“To live in Nu’man is to face a slow, silent form of erasure—one cloaked in law, bureaucracy, and strategic neglect. The residents’ struggle to remain is part of a broader one—in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza—against a system designed to make Palestinian life in the land impossible.”

Smotrich Calls Gaza Settlements a “Realistic Work Plan” as Activists March to Gaza

What was once considered a fringe idea to build settlements in Gaza promoted by a small number of fringe settlers has now been embraced and advanced by the Israeli government – with the threat of annexation being used as part of Israel’s negotiations with Hamas over the end of Israel’s genocide. 

Last week, the Knesset held a conference advocating for and planning to take up Donald Trump’s idea to transform the Gaza strip into a “Gaza Riviera.” The Knesset discussed a plan, that, according to The Guardian, provides for the construction of 850,000 settlement units, construction of hi-tech “smart cities” that trade cryptocurrency, and a metro system that runs across the territory.

Speaking at a conference commemorating the anniversary of Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, Israeli Finance Minister Smotrich said there is a “realistic work plan” to build settlements in Gaza, saying: “We did not sacrifice these prices to transfer Gaza from one Arab to another. Gaza is an inseparable part of the Land of Israel.”

Shortly after Smotrich’s remarks, 22 members of the Knesset (including two Cabinet Ministers) signed a letter to Defense Minister Katz asking that he permit a large group of settlers to enter the northern Gaza Strip in order to begin planning for the construction of a settlement.  The Nachala settler group, which was organizing the group and letter, put out a statement on X saying: 

“The demand is being made as part of the call to settle the northern sector as an immediate first step toward reconquest, expulsion, and settlement of the entire Gaza Strip…The northern border was conquered and expelled — now is the time to settle.”

The next day, hundreds of settlers organized by Daniella Weiss and the Nachala settler group marched towards the Gaza border.  Weiss has previously said that she has a list of 1,000 Israeli families ready to move to the Gaza strip to reestablish settlements there.

Beloved South Hebron Hills Activist Shot Dead By Sanctioned Settler

Awdah Hathaleen – a prominent Palestinian activist in the South Hebron Hills – was shot and killed by an armed Israeli settler who was reportedly attempting to destroy a main water pipeline serving Palestinian homes in Umm Al-Khair, located in the South Hebron Hills. Levy was detained by Israeli authorities, but quickly released. According to his lawyers, Levy claims he fired in self-defense. Video from the incident shows Levy firing wildly, and +972 Magazine says its analysis of video from the event shows Levy attacked the residents.

Hathaleen was a key activist and advocate bringing attention to the severe suffering and violence Palestinian villages in the South Hebron Hills are facing because of state-backed Israeli settlers trying to expel Palestinians from the land. Hathaleen participated in the globally acclaimed film “No Other Land” depicting the struggle of communities there and the routing violence of settlers.

Yinon Levy is a notoriously violent settler who built an illegal outpost called Meitarim Farm on lands near Masafer Yatta in the South Hebron Hills. Canada, France, the UK, and the European Union have current sanctions placed on Levy for his involvement in violence (including the violent expulsion of the Zanuta community) and illegal settlement activity; the U.S. previously had sanctions on Levy, but President Trump reversed those sanctions when he took office.

Bonus Reads

Welcome to FMEP’s Weekly Settlement & Annexation Report. To subscribe to this report, please click here.

July 25, 2025

  1. Violence, Anarchy in Northern West Bank as Outpost Settlers Reign Terror on Palestinians & Israeli Force
  2. Red Alert: Planning Committee to Convene on E-1 Settlement Plan
  3. Ramallah Area Settler Violence Reaches Extreme, Settlers Murder U.S. Citizen
  4. Another Bedouin Community Displaced in Jordan Valley By Unabated Settler Terrorism
  5. Israel Sidesteps Palestinian Authority to Renovate Ibrahimi Mosque/Cave of the Patriarchs
  6. Bonus Reads

Knesset Votes for West Bank Annexation

On July 23rd, the Israeli Knesset voted 71-13 in favor of a non-binding declaration to unilaterally annex the West Bank. The resolution called on the government to “apply Israeli sovereignty, law, judgement and administration to all the areas of Jewish settlement of all kinds in Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley.”

Following the vote, the newly-elected Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana said: 

“This is our land. This is our home. The Land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel. In 1967, the occupation did not begin; it ended, and our homeland was returned to its rightful owners. We are the original first natives of this piece of land. Jews cannot be the ‘occupier’ of a land that for 3,000 years has been called Judea.”

Yisrael Ganz, head of a settler regional council and Chairman of the settler Yesha Council, stated: 

“I thank the ministers and Members of Knesset from both the coalition and the opposition who voted for this important proposal to advance Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. The approval of the proposal, by a large majority of Zionist MKs, once again proves the broad support of the people of Israel for Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. It is clear and undeniable evidence of the national will to realize our values and our right to our land. This vote is a significant milestone on the path toward advancing the strategic step that will fortify the security of the entire State of Israel. I now call on the Government of Israel: Turn this decision into reality on the ground. We are at a critical and historic juncture. We must not miss this opportunity. The Yesha Council will continue to work tirelessly until Israeli sovereignty is applied in Judea and Samaria.”

Red Alert: Planning Committee to Convene on E-1 Settlement Plan

The High Planning Council is expected to convene on August 6th to advance plans for the construction of the controversial E-1 settlement project. Assuming there is not another last-minute decision to take E-1 off the agenda (something that could well happen, and has happened repeatedly) this upcoming meeting promises to be a decisive one for the long-pending E-1 plan. A subcommittee is scheduled to hear the remaining public objections to the plan, after which it is highly likely the subcommittee will recommend that the full Council approves the plan for validation. Terrestrial Jerusalem notes that, with the dismissal of objections on August 6th, the E-1 settlement plan will be “just one pen-stroke away from final statutory approval.”

Settlement experts are united in raising the alarm over the August 6th meeting, and the signal it sends regarding the government’s determination to destroy any last chance of a future Palestinian state. The E-1 settlement has, for decades, been viewed as a “dooms-day” settlement and treated as a red-line for countries pushing diplomatic efforts towards a two state solution. E-1 is also vehemently opposed by Palestinians and human rights activists because of the impact it will have on thousands of bedouin who live in the area slated for the settlements’ construction, just east of Jerusalem. Construction of this settlement would have severe geopolitical implications (cutting the West Bank in half, cutting it off from East Jerusalem); would necessitate the forcible transfer of several bedouin communities (a war crime); and affect thousands of Palestinians (shredding the fabric of life).

Peace Now said in a statement: 

“The Netanyahu-Smotrich government is exploiting the war in Gaza and the current internal and international power dynamics to establish facts on the ground that would eliminate any prospect for peace and a two-state reality. The government is condemning us to continued conflict and bloodshed and is leading Israel to the edge of the abyss. Advancing the E1 plan could be a generational disaster that would make peace even harder to achieve in the future.”

In its current form, the E-1 plan provides for the construction of 3,412 new settlement units on a site located northeast of Jerusalem. The site is home to several Palestinian bedouin communities, comprising 3,000 people, including Khan al-Ahmar, which Israel is planning to forcibly relocate. There have been attempts to promote the E-1 plan since the early 1990s, but due to wall-to-wall international opposition, the plan was not advanced until 2012. At that time Netaynuahu ordered it to be approved for deposit for public review (a key step in the approval process), ostensibly as payback for the Palestinians seeking recognition at the United Nations. Following an outcry from the international community, the plan again went into a sort of dormancy, only to be put back on the agenda by Netanyahu in February 2020, when he was facing his third round of elections in two years.  Also, as a reminder: under the Trump Plan (which the Biden Administration has yet to comment on), the area where E-1 is located is slated to become part of Israel.

Ramallah Area Settler Violence Reaches Extreme, Settlers Murder U.S. Citizen

On July 11th Israeli settlers attacked the West Bank village of Sinjil and killed two Palestinians – one of which was a U.S. citizen, Saif Musalat. The attack and Sinjil and murder of Musalat was just one part of a weeks long escalating settler terror campaign waged against Palestinian villages in the Ramallah area.  The campaign of terror in the area includes the settlers’ attacks on Turmus Aya, Kufir Malk and the Christian village of Taybeh. Five Palestinians have been killed during these attacks.

The attacks on Taybeh and the murder of a U.S. citizen has received more attention from Israeli and international press than many of the other attacks, given the equities at stake. U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee – a Christian Zionist – even called for Israel to investigate the murder. Having tracked accountability efforts for years, data compiled by Yesh Din demonstrates there is a 3% probability that a settler is held accountable for an alleged crime.

Another Bedouin Community Displaced in Jordan Valley By Unabated Settler Terrorism

On July 4th, hundreds of residents of the Mu’arjat bedouin village north of Jericho were coerced into leaving their village under the constant and escalating terrorism of nearby settlers seeking to displace and replace the Palestinians, annexing the land and banishing the people. In the days immediately preceding the decision by residents to leave, settlers launched two days of attacks on the village during which they vandalized homes and stole livestock. This is the 30th community to be displaced since October 2023. Haaretz reports that there is only one remaining bedouin village in the vicinity of where Mua’arjat once stood — an area near the Kohhav Hashahar settlement and its violent outposts in the Jordan Valley. 

Yosef Malihaat, a 35-year old former resident of Mu’arjat, told Haaretz: 

“Our lives here are over. The settlers came right up to our house and threatened us. It’s incredibly painful to leave this land – we were born here. There’s no law in Israel today, and that’s why they send these people here – they’re criminals. It’s all intentional. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. It’s dangerous to keep our children here. They’ve destroyed our livelihood, and when we called the police, they did nothing,”

OCHA said in a statement:

“The forced displacement of the Al Mu’arrajat East community highlights the deepening protection crisis facing Palestinian herding communities in Area C, where a coercive environment, characterized by settler violence, land confiscation, restricted freedom of movement and lack of law enforcement, continue to deprive families of safety, accountability, and any real prospect of return. The impact is severe and multifaceted; families are experiencing heightened insecurity, psychological distress, and loss of livelihoods, with women, children and older persons facing the greatest vulnerabilities due to forced displacement.”

B’Tselem said in an email:

“Last week, the expulsion of another community in the West Bank was completed. The residents of Mu’arrajat in the Jordan Valley, near Jericho, endured years of daily violence by settlers who invaded their community, stole and poisoned livestock, torched the mosque and violently attacked the school. This past weekend, the last remaining families decided to dismantle their homes, pack up and leave, after settlers recently established an outpost within the community itself, took over homes and stole dozens of sheep.

Mu’arrajat was a longstanding, sizable community, home to about 70 families and some 600 residents. Years of violence and harassment by settlers, the military and the Civil Administration gradually drove residents to leave, until the last families left this past weekend. It is the 30th community expelled from the West Bank since the start of the war on Gaza, as part of Israel’s campaign to ethnically cleanse Area C through a combination of military force and settler violence.”

Israel Sidesteps Palestinian Authority to Renovate Ibrahimi Mosque/Cave of the Patriarchs

Israeli press reports that the Defense Ministry has decided to take unilateral administrative control over the Cave of the Patriarch/Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebon, further stripping the Palestinian Authority/Hebron Municipality of its role in administering the site. The Defense Ministry is reportedly doing this with an eye towards renovating the site, and doing so without consultation or approval from Palestinians.

Peace Now said in a statement:

“The annexationist government is playing with fire and with the security of us all. The Cave of the Patriarchs is considered the fourth holiest site in Islam after Al-Aqsa Mosque, and any unilateral change is perceived by millions of Muslims as a humiliation and an attack on a sacred place. Documents recently exposed by intelligence services revealed the central role that messianic provocations on the Temple Mount — backed by the government — played in Hamas’s preparations for October 7. The government is dragging us into a religious war in the name of a messianic fringe. Anyone who truly cares about the Cave of the Patriarchs should seek an agreement with the Palestinians that would allow for consensual changes to holy sites, with the consent of all parties involved.”

Bonus Reads

  1. “‘No life without water’: Settler attacks threaten West Bank communities” (Al-Arabiya, 7/20/25)
  2. “8 U.S. states to advance law requiring use of ‘Judea and Samaria’ in official documents” (Ynet, 7/20/25)
  3. “Huckabee visits Christian Samaria village said to have been targeted by Israeli extremists” (JNS, 7//20/25)
  4. “In sign of shift, far-right US network airs segment on unchecked settler violence” (The Times of Israel, 7/18/25)

 

Welcome to FMEP’s Weekly Settlement & Annexation Report. To subscribe to this report, please click here.

July 3, 2025

  1. Violence, Anarchy in Northern West Bank as Outpost Settlers Reign Terror on Palestinians & Israeli Forces
  2. Israel Orders Mass Forced Displacement of 12 Villages in Masafer Yatta
  3. Israel Keeps Foot on Gas with West Bank Settlement Expansion
  4. Israeli Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Settlers on Key, Precedent-Setting Eviction Case in Batan al-Hawa, East Jerusalem
  5. Israel Initiates Efforts to Displace Palestinians from Additional Areas in East Jerusalem
  6. Netanyahu Urged to Push Annexation As Part of Gaza Talks in Washington
  7. (More) West Bank Settlement & Annexation News
  8. U.S. Politics
  9. New Reports

Violence, Anarchy in Northern West Bank as Outpost Settlers Reign Terror on Palestinians & Israeli Forces

On Wednesday, June 25th, an armed, organized group of about 70 settlers attacked the Palestinian village of Kfar Malik, located in the Ramallah area. The settler threw molotov cocktails at cars and inside homes, and inflicted widespread damage throughout the town. Responding to the incident, IDF troops arrived and shot at the Palestinians who began throwing stones at the settlers, killing three Palestinians and injuring nine. The IDF alleges that the Palestinians shot at troops first, though this is not corroborated by residents who witnessed the events. Five settlers were arrested but quickly released.

The attack on Kfar Malik led to a serious confrontation between the settlers and the IDF, with the settlers raging over the fact a soldier shot at and slightly injured a young settler who had been participating in the mob.

  • June 25th: Following the settlers’ attack on Kfar Malik, the IDF dismantled the nearby outpost, where the settlers who attacked Kfar Malik are believed to have been residing, and declared the area a closed military zone.
  • June 27-28: On the evening of June 27th into the early morning hours of the 28th – settlers gathered in the area of the recently-dismantlyed outpost (either in an attempt to reestablish the outpost, or stage another raid into Kfar Malik). When IDF troops arrived to disperse the settlers, the settlers violently rioted against the IDF for hours. Throwing stones, choking and beating senior military officers, attempting to ram a car into security forces, slashing tires and causing damage to army equipment. Settlers allege that IDF troops fired sponge-tipped bullets and lightly injured a 14-year old settler (the IDF has said there were no shots fired and the youth was injured in a separate incident detailed below). The riot continued to escalate overnight. Six settlers were arrested following these events.
  • June 27-28: 10-20 masked settlers attacked an Israeli military jeep by throwing rocks from a hill – in an area 3.5miles from the riot. An officer exited the vehicle and shot three times into the air.
  • June 30: Masked settlers set fire to a police station at the Beit El settlement, tagging the site with spray paint indicating it was in response to injury of the 14-year old settler days before. 
  • June 30: The IDF razed 5 outposts, including the Har Hatzor, Metzad, Mikne Avraham, Bat Ayin, another close to the Shiloh settlement.

Netanyahu and the Yesha Council issued statements condemning the settlers violence against Israeli troops (not, though, against the Palestinians in Kfar Malik), but also trying to distance this from the nature of the settlement enterprise. Netanyahu said:

“The settler community is a model and an example of developing the land, meaningful service in the IDF, and contributing to the cultivation of Torah scholars. We will not allow a violent and fanatic few to tarnish an entire community.”

On Monday July 1st, Defense Minister Katz convened an emergency meeting with top sercurity officials, resulting in the creation of a new task force to look into settler violence against the IDF. Katz also announced new funding for a program that aims at integrating extremist settler youth into mainstream education programs. Katz did not mention violence against Palestinians.

Israel Orders Mass Forced Displacement of 12 Villages in Massafer Yatta

B’Tselem reports that on June 18th the Israeli Army’s Central Command issued a directive declaring a “security need” to train troops in the Massafer Yatta area, a directive that was quickly followed by the Civil Administration’s dismissal of all legal petitions that Palestinians living there have submitted against previous displacement efforts. These moves pave the way for the mass and immediate demolition of 12 villages located in Firing Zone 918 “using the full range of civilian and security tools at [the army’s] disposal,” according to the directive.  

B’Tselem Executive Director Yuli Novak said: 

“Israel’s onslaught on the Palestinian people has reached such a level of unbridled violence and disregard for international law, that no domestic mechanism can or will stop it. Only immediate, firm action by the international community can stop the expulsion from Masafer Yatta.” 

For background on Firing Zone 918, see:

Israel Keeps Foot on Gas with West Bank Settlement Expansion

Peace Now reports the following recent developments expanding and entrenching Israeli settlements in the West Bank:

  • On June 10th, the Israeli Knesset was scheduled to approve a huge investment in the cellular network in the West Bank in order to improve cell service primarily for settlers.
  • On June 12th, Peace Now heard reports that the Civil Administration had declared a huge swath of land around an illegal outpost to be “state land,” which would be a significant step towards granting the outpost retroactive legalization. The outpost is called “Malachei HaShaolom and is located between Ramallah and Nablus.
  • The High Planning Council met on June 18th to discuss and advance plans that would grant retroactive legalization to 347 illegally-built units in the Palegi Mayim outpost, as well as plans for 82 new units in the Givat Zeev settlement.
  • On June 24th the Civil Administration granted a building permit for construction projects near a train station building in Sebastia. Peace Now explains: “Transforming the train station into a tourist site is part of the Israeli government’s broader plan to increase its presence in the densely populated Palestinian areas between Nablus and Jenin.”
  • On July 1st, the Higher Planning Council met to discuss plans for 267 new settlements. This batch of plans includes a first-of-its kind plan to expand a settlement across the Seperation Barrier. The settlement, Ganei Modii’n, is currently and entirely located in the seam zone but on the Israeli side of the Separation Barrier; the new plan will expand the settlement on the other side of it.

Israeli Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Settlers on Key, Precedent-Setting Eviction Case in Batan al-Hawa, East Jerusalem

The Israeli Supreme court has ruled in favor of the Ateret Cohanim settler organization’s claim to own the land in the Batan al-Hawa section of Silwan on which the Odeh and Shweiki families live, paving the way for their immediate displacement. The Supreme Court issued its ruling despite failing to receive a submission from the State of Israel stating its legal position on the underlying legal facts – – a submission the Court had been waiting on for more than a year.

The Court’s ruling accepts settlers’ claim to own the land on which the Palestinians’ homes are located, homes which the Court recognized were legally purchased by Palestinians in the 1960s. Regardless of the validity of the home ownership, the Court recognized the settler’s ownership of the land under a discriminatory Israeli law that allows Jews to “reclaim” property and land that was owned by Jews prior to 1948. This law is being used by settlers to achieve mass displacement of Palestinians across East Jerusalem.

Peace Now said in a statement: 

“This is an injustice and a crime against a vulnerable population living under occupation in East Jerusalem. The dispossession of Palestinians from their homes in Silwan, enabled by the application of the Jewish ‘right of return,’ represents an indelible stain on the State of Israel. The Israeli judicial system has failed to protect the fundamental rights of Palestinians to their homes, effectively endorsing the racist and messianic policies of the current Israeli government. A responsible government would halt the forced expulsions of this community. Tragically, our government demonstrates anything but responsibility in any regard. The International Court of Justice has explicitly addressed the discriminatory legal framework and Israel’s settlement policy in East Jerusalem in its advisory opinion, declaring these practices a violation of international law.”

Israel Initiates Efforts to Displace Palestinians from Additional Areas in East Jerusalem

Ir Amim reports that Israeli authorities are ramping up efforts to forcibly displace Palestinian residents from three East Jerusalem neighborhoods, two of which have not been targeted for demolition/eviction campaigns before now.

Ir Amim reports on the bureaucratic advancement of displacement efforts over the past month:  

  • Nu’man – On June 10, the Jerusalem municipality’s building enforcement unit distributed notices to all the homes in the small village of Nu’man, alleging that they were built illegally and demanding that their owners demolish them immediately. Around 150 residents are at risk of displacement as a result.  
  • Umm Tuba – On June 11, the Israel Land Authority (ILA) issued notices to 18 homes (containing 35 housing units) in Umm Tuba, claiming that they were built on land belonging to the Jewish National Fund and demanding that the families vacate their properties within 30 days. 150 people are now at risk of being uprooted from their homes and lands.
  • Batan al-Hawa, Silwan – On June 16, the Israeli Supreme Court rejected the request of three families to file an appeal against their pending eviction from their homes and ruled in favor of the Ateret Cohanim settler group. 19 people are now under immediate threat of eviction.  

Netanyahu Urged to Push Annexation As Part of Gaza Talks in Washington

Every member of the Likud Party signed on to a letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu urging him to press President Trump for his full support for Israel’s unilateral annexation of the entire West Bank.

Smotrich said in response to the letter from the ruling Likud Party:

“The true answer to the enemies of the State of Israel is sovereignty. I congratulate the Likud ministers and commit to the prime minister: on the day he gives the order—the Settlement Administration under my leadership—is ready in practice to implement the application of sovereignty immediately. Mr. Prime Minister—Am Yisrael is ready!”

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June 13, 2025

West Bank Settlement & Annexation News

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Welcome to FMEP’s Weekly Settlement & Annexation Report, this week we are issuing an covering everything you need to know about Israeli settlement activity this week.

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  1. Israel Initiates New Plan for 1,500 Settlement Units in Sheikh Jarrah – Further Squeezing and Isolating Palestinian Residents
  2. West Bank Settlement & Annexation News
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Israel Initiates New Plan for 1,500 Settlement Units in Sheikh Jarrah – Further Squeezing and Isolating Palestinian Residents

Ir Amim reports that Israeli authorities are moving forward with a new plan to build 1,500 settlement units on the northern perimeter of the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem. The plan appears to be moving very quickly through the planning process with two meetings scheduled in the coming week (June 4 and 9). The land is currently home to Israeli government buildings.

Ir Amim says:

“Advancement of this plan in parallel to other settlement initiatives in Sheikh Jarrah reflects an accelerating trend across East Jerusalem of promoting large settlements inside Palestinian neighborhoods. While in the past, settlement projects largely targeted open lands outside Palestinian built-up areas, more recently, there has been a dramatic rise in the promotion of major settlement construction in the heart of Palestinian neighborhoods. Rather than designating the respective plots of land to meet the dire needs of the local population, the land is used for Israeli settlements, which depletes critical land reserves essential for Palestinian urban development. This in turn contributes to deepening the housing deprivation and constricting existing Palestinian neighborhoods, which blocks their necessary expansion to accommodate for population growth. Moreover, such projects often generate friction and disrupt daily life in Palestinian neighborhoods as settlements are accompanied by heavy security presence and restrictions on freedom of movement.”

If constructed, the new settlement units will seal Sheikh Jarrah off from the north and nearly connect to Israel’s “Silicon Wadi” plan for the southeastern perimeter of the neighborhood. The southern entrance to Sheikh Jarrah is also in the process of coming under total Israeli control with the planned construction of the Glassman yeshiva – – a large religious school and dormitory complex planned to flank the main road into the neighborhood. In addition to settlement construction plans, the state has backed efforts by settlers to wage a large-scale eviction campaign against longtime Palestinian residents in Sheikh Jarrah.

West Bank Settlement & Annexation News

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Welcome to FMEP’s Weekly Settlement & Annexation Report, this week we are issuing an covering everything you need to know about Israeli settlement activity this week.

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  1. Israel Approves 22 New Settlements – “Dramatically Reshap[ing] the West Bank”
  2. East Jerusalem & Its Environs
  3. West Bank Settlement & Annexation News
  4. International News
  5. Israeli Politics

Israel Approves 22 New Settlements – “Dramatically Reshap[ing] the West Bank”

The Israeli security Cabinet has approved the establishment of 22 new settlements deep inside the West Bank, including the legalization of 12 existing outposts and the creation of 9 entirely new settlements deep inside of the West Bank (1 existing settlement neighborhood will be recognized as an independent settlement). The Cabinet’s decision was initially private – made in secrecy and not announced formally until one of the settler regional council’s posted about it.

In confirming the news, Defense Minister Israel Katz said:

“This historic decision to establish 22 new communities in Judea and Samaria strengthens our hold on the land, anchors our historical right to the Land of Israel, and delivers a crushing answer to Palestinian terrorism aimed at harming the settlements and weakening them…Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria serves as a vital security barrier for Israel’s major population centers. We must do everything in our power to expand and reinforce this protective shield. The decision we made today is not just about strengthening the settlements on the State’s eastern border — it’s also a strategic move to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state that would endanger Israel, and it serves as a buffer zone against our enemies. This is a Zionist, security, and national response — and a clear decision about the future of the Land.”

Bezelal Smotrich called:

“This is a great day for the settlements and an important day for the State of Israel. Through determined leadership and intense work, we have succeeded, with God’s help, in achieving a deep strategic shift, returning the State of Israel to a path of building, Zionism, and vision. Settlement in our ancestral homeland is Israel’s shield wall; today we took a giant step toward strengthening it. The next step — sovereignty!”

Though not confirmed, media reports indicate that the list of 22 new settlements include:

  • 3 settlements near Jenin in the northern West Bank: Elnaveh, Maoz Zvi and Sa-Nur;
  • 4 settlements near Hebron: Maalot Halhul, Afeka, Yonadav and Mitzpe Ziv;
  • 5 settlements in the Jordan Valley (4 of which are new): Ir Hatmarim, Kedem Arava, Gadi Camp, Gvionit and Tevez;
  • 3 settlements near Nablus: Rehavam, Mt. Ibal and Homesh;
  • 5 settlements near Ramallah: Atarot Eder, Beit Horon North, Inbar, Ahiya, Adei Ad;
  • 1 settlement is in the Jerusalem district – Nofei Prat;
  • 1 settlement near Salfi: Havot Yair.

Peace Now said in a statement:

“The Israeli government no longer pretends otherwise: the annexation of the Occupied Territories and expansion of settlements is its central goal. The cabinet’s decision to establish 22 new settlements—the most extensive move of its kind since the Oslo Accords, under which Israel committed not to establish new settlements—will dramatically reshape the West Bank and entrench the occupation even further. At a time when both the Israeli public and the entire world is demanding an immediate end to the war, the government is making clear—again and without restraint—that it prefers deepening the occupation and advancing de facto annexation over pursuing peace.”

East Jerusalem & Its Environs

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Welcome to FMEP’s Weekly Settlement & Annexation Report, this week we are issuing an covering everything you need to know about Israeli settlement activity this week.

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  1. Annexation – – Israel Green Lights Land Registration in the West Bank Area C
  2. East Jerusalem & the Old City News
  3. West Bank Settlement & Annexation News
  4. Israeli Politics
  5. U.S. Politics
  6. Marking 77 Years of Ongoing Nakba

Annexation – – Israel Green Lights Land Registration in the West Bank Area C

On May 11th, the Israeli Cabinet passed a resolution to begin the process of land registration across Area C of the West Bank — a process that will result in the mass displacement of Palestinian and de facto annexation of 60% of the West Bank. Subsequent to the Cabinet resolution, the government has already begun using this decision to start the land registration process as a pretext for legalizing outposts and unauthorized settlement construction.

The Cabinet’s order calls for the establishment of an inter-ministerial team to prepare and initiate land registration within 60 days, and allocated 4 million to the effort as a starting budget. Making clear the intent behind this process, Bezalel Smotrich – who exercises nearly unchecked powers over civilian affairs in the West Bank – celebrated this step saying:

“[The Cabinet’s resolution is] part of the normalization and de facto sovereignty revolution that we are leading in Judea and Samaria…the State of Israel is taking responsibility for the territory as a permanent sovereign…[land registration] will create legal certainty, enable land reserves for settlement development.”

Defense Minister Katz also celebrated, saying that Israel-led registration “does justice for Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria, and will strengthen, consolidate and broaden it.”.

Only one-third of West Bank land was registered and titled (under the British Mandatory government and then continued by Jordan) when Israel seized control of the West Bank and froze land registration proceedings. Under an Israel-led registration process, Palestinians will be forced to attempt to prove ownership of their land despite knowing Israel has designed the process in a manner in which their historic documentation is either unsatisfactory or totally inaccessible. If Palestinians do not meet the Israeli standard, their land will automatically be registered in the name of the State. This process will inevitably result in the massive transfer of land into Israel’s possession. Indeed – in East Jerusalem the land registration process has already been weaponized by the Israeli government to accelerate settlement growth. 

Peace Now said in a statement: 

“The cabinet decision on a land registration in the West Bank is a mega theft of Palestinian lands in Area C. Land registration will result in the transfer of ownership of the vast majority of Area C to the state, and the Palestinians will have no practical way to realize their ownership rights. It is not without reason that international law prohibits land registration in occupied territories, and Israel itself issued an order prohibiting it after 1967. The decision constitutes a move towards full-scale annexation.”

Successive Israeli governments have openly called for land registration to be carried out, and the current Israeli government included it in its coalition agreements. At the time the coalition agreements were signed in January 2023, a coalition of Israeli human rights groups issued a report with the following analysis:

“The agreements include a commitment to renewing the settlement of title process (land registry) in the West Bank, which was halted when Israel captured it in 1967. This measure, which determines land ownership registration in the West Bank, has critical implications for Palestinians’ property rights in the OPT. Given Israel’s legal approach to proof of ownership (which differs from practices prior to the Israeli occupation), and Palestinians’ lack of access to the relevant databases, the measure is expected to dispossess Palestinians of property rights on a colossal scale, effecting a broad, long-term change in the occupied territory.”

East Jerusalem & the Old City News

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Marking 77 Years of Ongoing Nakba

Welcome to FMEP’s Weekly Settlement Report, this week we are issuing an covering everything you need to know about Israeli settlement activity this week.

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Smotrich Says E-1 To Be Approved in Coming Months, Cautioned Annexation Will be Enacted but Not Announced

On May 6th, Bezalel Smotrich announced at a conference in the Ofra settlement that the government is moving to approve the construction of the E-1 settlement in the coming months. In its current form, the E-1 plan provides for the construction of 3,412 new settlement units on a site located northeast of Jerusalem. The site is home to several Palestinian bedouin communities, comprising 3,000 people, including Khan al-Ahmar, which Israel is planning to forcibly relocate. Long called a “doomsday” settlement by supporters of a two-state solution, construction of the E-1 settlement would sever East Jerusalem from its West Bank hinterland, preventing East Jerusalem from ever functioning as a viable Palestinian capital. It would also cut the West Bank effectively in half, isolating the northern West Bank from the southern West Bank and foreclosing the possibility of the establishment of a Palestinian state with territorial contiguity.

At the conference this week, Smotrich also boasted that under his authority, the government has approved 15,000 settlement units and allocated $1.9billion in West Bank settlement roads since January 2025. Smotrich went on to explain to the conference attendees that Israel is carrying out the de facto annexation of the West Bank, but not prioritizing the recognition of its unilateral/de jure annexation by international governments – particularly the U.S. According to Haaretz reporting:

“At the conference, Smotrich expressed hope that the government would soon annex the West Bank but cautioned that ‘sovereignty alone won’t be enough.’ He argued that if Israel were to apply its sovereignty and receive recognition from the U.S. President Donald Trump, only for a future Democratic administration to revoke that recognition later, ‘it wouldn’t be worth much.’ Nevertheless, Smotrich said, ‘There will be de facto sovereignty.’”

West Bank Settlement & Annexation News

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Welcome to FMEP’s Weekly Settlement Report, this week we are issuing an covering everything you need to know about Israeli settlement activity this week.

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April 25, 2025

East Jerusalem Settlement News

West Bank Settlement & Annexation News

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