Settlement & Annexation Report: February 20, 2026

ANNEXATION: Cabinet OKs, and Funds West Bank Land Registry
EAST JERUSALEM: Israel to Expand Jerusalem Borders, plus News & Analysis
WEST BANK: Settlers Takeover Five Hebron Houses, plus News & Analysis
GAZA: MK Joins Gaza Breach
SETTLER TERRORISM: American Teen Killed By Settlers in Latest Attack on Mukhmas, plus News & Analysis

ANNEXATION

Cabinet Authorizes, Funds Publication of West Bank Land Registry

On February 15th, the full Israeli Cabinet approved the publication of the West Bank land registry and allocated a four-year, $78 million (NIS 244.1 million) budget to establish a mechanism (with up to 35 employees) for updating the records in Area C of the West Bank. The Israeli Justice Ministry is tasked with carrying out the land registration process, effectively transferring sovereignty over Area C from the Israeli military to Israeli civilian governance, clear annexation. According to Peace Now, the process of land registration in Area C carried out will lead to the wide scale dispossession of Palestinians from the area. The Cabinet set a target goal of completing the land registration process for 15% of Area C within the next five years.

Defense Minister Israel Katz, Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich issued a joint statement saying:

“The decision means, among other things, the registration of extensive areas in Judea and Samaria that belong to the state in the name of the state.”

Israeli Justice Minister Levin said further:

“The resolution constitutes a real revolution in Judea and Samaria…The Land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel. The Israeli government is committed to deepening its grip on all parts [of the land], and this decision is an expression of that commitment.”

Peace Now said in a statement:

“The government’s decision on land settlement in the West Bank is a mega land grab of Palestinian property. Land registration will result in the transfer of ownership of the vast majority of Area C to the state, leaving Palestinians with no practical ability to realize their ownership rights. It is no coincidence that international law prohibits land settlement in occupied territory, and Israel itself issued an order prohibiting it after 1967.”

The move has been criticized internationally, including by the UN and other Arab nations some of which have normalized ties with Israel.

As a reminder, 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. The publication of the West Bank land registry is something the settlement movement has pushed for in order to be able to identify landowners in all areas of the West Bank and approach them for purchase, which – with the repeal of the ban on the sale of land to non-Arabs – settlers can now do outright. Opening the land registry will help facilitate settler claims over disputed and/or unregistered lands, making Palestinians vulnerable to further settler harassment regarding the sale of land.

As reported by Israel Hayom in 2020, the Israeli land registration process would first require a survey of the land, after which time anyone claiming ownership could present documents to the Israeli government seeking to prove their ownership. In the case of land where Israel recognizes no valid ownership claims – including cases where Palestinians do not have documentation that Israel will accept – Haaretz has previously reported that the process gives heavy weight to whomever currently controls the land (e.g., if a settler has built illegally on Palestinian land and lived there, under the protection of the IDF, the process will give weight to their claim absent overwhelming documentation, accepted by Israel, from the Palestinian owner). The registration decisions can be appealed, but once the claims are resolved by an Israeli official appointed to oversee the process, no further appeal is possible. Moreover, all “unclaimed” land – that is, land over which Israel does not recognize any legal ownership, will automatically become “state land.

Shlomo Zacharia, a land lawyer working with Yesh Din, further explained how the process of Israeli-controlled land registration will dispossess Palestinians, saying:

“If a village has 30 plots, with [specific, documented] ownership claims on only 20 of those, the other ten automatically transfer to the state. If you haven’t filed a claim of ownership, it goes to the state. Period. The arrangement will primarily benefit the Civil Administration and the settlers, since most of the land allocated by the state goes to settlers, and because the arrangement process (in Israel and the West Bank) favors the person holding the land in practice.”

EAST JERUSALEM

Israel to Expand Settlement & Jerusalem Borders

Peace Now reports that Israel is advancing a plan that will, for the first time since 1967, effectively expand the borders of Jerusalem into the West Bank by building a new “neighborhood” or the Adam settlement. The plan to build a 6,000 unit new “neighborhood” of the Adam settlement is nothing but a run-around attempt to expand the East Jerusalem settlement of Neve Ya’akov onto West Bank land. While the Adam settlement is on the West Bank side of the Israeli Separation Barrier, the new “neighborhood” is planned for land on the Israeli side of the Barrier, closer to and more functionally a part of the Neve Yaakov settlement in East Jerusalem, rather than the Adam settlement under which the plan is being put forth. Peace Now reports that, in order to accomplish the same goal with less hassle and criticism, the construction is being framed as an expansion of a Wset Bank settlement towards Jerusalem rather than the expansion of an East Jerusalem settlement into the West Bank (i.e. annexation of West Bank land).

Peace Now explained in a statement:

“This is the first time since 1967 that Jerusalem is being expanded into the West Bank. Under the guise establishing a new settlement, the government is carrying out de facto annexation through the back door. The new settlement will function in every way as a neighborhood of Jerusalem, and its designation as a “neighborhood” of the Adam settlement is merely a pretext intended to conceal a move that effectively applies Israeli sovereignty to areas of the West Bank.”

The plan has been submitted to the Higher Planning Council and can be scheduled for discussions at any time. The government clearly supports the plan, as just one week ago the Israeli Ministry of Construction and Housing signed a development agreement with the Adam settlement which committed government funding forth te construction of the new neighborhood.

More East Jerusalem News & Analysis

“The Palestinians stuck in the no-man’s-land of Jerusalem and the Israeli settlement plan to expel them” (Mondoweiss, 2/19/2026)
“Ahead of Ramadan: New Policy Paper on Escalating Israeli Policy at Al-Aqsa and Growing Harm to Muslim Freedom of Worship” (Ir Amim, 2/16/2026)

WEST BANK

Settlers Takeover Five Homes in Hebron

Peace Now reports that settlers have taken over five homes in Hebron, claiming to have purchased them, effectively establishing new settlement enclaves in the Jabal Jalles neighborhood of Hebron. In advance of the settlers’ entrance into the homes, the IDF carried out an arrest operation in the Jabal Jalles neighborhood.

Peace Now said in a statement:

“We are seeing here an alarming example of the consequences of the government’s new policy regarding land purchases in the West Bank. A handful of real estate–hungry settlers will in the future be able to determine many more such facts on the ground, with far-reaching political and security implications. This is what annexation looks like!”

More West Bank News & Analysis

“Israel’s new separation wall will sever Jordan Valley from rest of West Bank” (+972 Magazine, 2/16/2026). Also see:
“Palestinians see Israel’s new West Bank security wall cutting off their farmland” (NPR, 2/18/2026)
“Smotrich: Next government should ‘encourage migration’ of West Bank Palestinians” (The Times of Israel, 2/18/2026)
“Palestinians see Israel’s new West Bank security wall cutting off their farmland” (NPR, 2/18/2026)
“Exclusive: Judea, Samaria Jewish population grew at twice Israel’s overall rate in 2025” (JNS, 2/20/2026)
“’Apartheid now exists’: In the West Bank, new Israeli regulations stoke Palestinian fears of annexation” (NBC News, 2/18/2026)
“Israel’s annexation drive has sped up – because the world allows it” (Middle East Eye, 2/18/2026)
“Meet the settlers of Instagram, the photogenic West Bank women documenting pastoral life” (The Times of Israel, 2/15/2026)
“Settler to Be Prosecuted for Fatal Shooting of Palestinian Activist in West Bank” (Haaretez, 2/15/2026)

GAZA

MK Joins Settlers in Breaching Gaza Fence

One far-right Israeli MK joined the Nahala settler movement in its latest organized breach of the Gaza fence, a repeated act that is intended to continue pressuring the government to reestablish Israeli civilian settlements in Gaza. MK Limor Son Har-Melech joined a group of a dozen or so settlers in crossing the fence to plant trees, saying: “Gaza will always be ours.” The IDF removed the settlers from Gaza, and issued a statement condemning the group for risking the safety of its members and the IDF.

SETTLER TERRORISM

Settlers, IDF Raid Mukhmas, Shoot/Kill Palestinian American Teen

A group of 30 masked settlers were accompanied by IDF troops during a violent raid on the Palestinian village of Mukhmas. The settlers stole 380 head of livestock and when Palestinians tried to prevent the theft, settlers attacked – shooting and killing one Palestinian, 19-year old Nasrallah Abu Siam who held American citizenship, and wounding many more. Despite IDF presence, there have been zero reports of arrests.

The Palestinian village of Mukhmas has come under intense settler violence over the past several weeks, with repeated and increasingly violent settler attacks.

News & Analysis on State-Backed Settler Terrorism

“10 settler rabbis warn against ‘violence of any sort,’ amid attacks on Palestinians” (The Times of Israel, 2/17/2026)
“Humanitarian Situation Update #358 | West Bank” (OCHA OPT, 2/19/2026)
“If an Outpost Isn’t ‘Illegal’ in the Eyes of an Israeli, Does the Crime Even Exist?” (Haaretz, 2/20/2026)

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

September 19, 2025

Israel Advances Plans for 1,276 New Settlement Units
Israel Tells PA It Will Act Unilaterally on Al-Ibrahimi Mosque/Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron
Escalating Attacks, Violence, Dispossession and Takeover in Ramallah Area
U.S. Secretary of State Attends Settler Archaeology Event in Silwan
Bonus Reads

Israel Advances Plans for 1,276 New Settlement Units

The Israeli Civil Administration’s Higher Planning Council met on September 17th and advanced plans for the construction of 1,276 new settlement units in the West Bank.

The approved plans include:

Elaazar: 66 new settlement units
Ma’ale Amos: 371 new settlement units
Ariel: 280 new settlement units
Gitit: 281 new settlement units
Avigail – 278 new settlement units were approved for deposit. Avigail was an illegal outpost until 2023, when the Israeli government afforded it official recognition along with nine other outposts.
Plans for a new industrial zone in the Omerim settlement were authorized for deposit.

Israel Tells PA It Will Act Unilaterally on Al-Ibrahimi Mosque/Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron

Peace Now reports that on September 15th the Israeli Civil Administration finalized an order that seizes, for the first time, space inside the upper prayer floor in the Al-Ibrahimi Mosque/Cave of the Patriarchs in order to erect a new roof over the inner courtyard. This was all done over the objections of the Palestinian Authority, which violates agreements for managing the site set out in the 1997 Hebron Protocol, which assigns planning and construction authority at the site to the Palestinian Authority. According to the settler-run Arutz Sheva outlet, the Civil Administration informed the PA about the order and insisted that the status quo arrangement is still in affect.

Peace Now reports further detail:

“The expropriation order was made possible after the Defense Ministry’s legal advisory office, recently reshaped under Minister Bezalel Smotrich, approved it. While presented as a technical step regarding an open space, in reality it constitutes a major structural change to a historic religious site, and another stage in the erosion of the fragile arrangements that safeguard access and worship at holy places. This process began four years ago, when Israel constructed an elevator at the site, despite significant public opposition, including from Israelis, and after a prolonged legal battle.”

The upper prayer hall of the Tomb of the Patriarchs contains the tombs of six religious figures: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, and Leah, alongside a Muslim prayer area. The open courtyard at its center connects the tombs and worship spaces. The existing structure was built during the Mamluk period (13th–16th centuries), on foundations dating back to Herod’s time in the 1st century BCE.

The annexationist government is playing with fire and with the security of us all. The Cave of the Patriarchs is regarded as the fourth holiest site in Islam, following 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.”

Escalating Attacks, Violence, Dispossession and Takeover in Ramallah Area

The areas surrounding Ramallah have been increasingly volatile as settlers terrorize villages on the outskirts of the Palestinians’ de facto capital city.

Settlers attacked the village of Jaba’ on September 13th, just the latest in a long line of attacks since the settlers established an illegal outpost nearby in February 2025. Palestinians report setting up a night watch because of the regularity of settler arson attacks on their homes, lands and livestocks. The IDF has demolished the outpost six times, but settlers are not prevented from reestablishing it – which they do.

Last week settlers clashed with Palestinians near Deir Jarir, located northeast of Ramallah, during which a 21-year old Palestinian was shot and killed (either by settlers or an IDF soldier, reports are disputed).

The week before, settlers attacked the village of Atara, setting vehicles on first and spraying hateful graffiti.

U.S. Secretary of State Attends Settler Archaeology Event in Silwan

On September 16th, U.S. Secretary of State participated in a private ceremony inaugurating a new section of the “Pilgrim’s Road,” the excavation of which is a settler-run project in the Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem, located in the shadow of the Old City. Rubio’s visit lends U.S. support for state-backed settler domination over the Silwan neighborhood, where settlers have conspired with the state to weaponize archaeology as a tool for mass displacement of Palestinians.

Indeed, the Pilgrim’s Road runs under the homes of residents in Silwan, and according to Emek Shaveh:

“The gradated street (no. 10 on the map) was dug as a tunnel by the Antiquities Authority and it is part of the Israeli governments’ Shalem Plan which is intended to strengthen Israeli presence in the Old City basin through extensive tourism development and archaeological excavations in Silwan and the Old City….The use of archaeology by Israel and the settlers as a political tool is a part of a strategy to shape the historic city and unilaterally entrench Israeli sovereignty over ancient Jerusalem. It is a process which is likely to produce devastating results for both Israel and the Palestinians. It is inexcusable to ignore the Palestinian residents of Silwan, carrying out extensive excavations of an underground city and to use such excavations as part of an effort to tell a historic story that is exclusively Jewish in a 4,000 year-old city with a rich and diverse cultural and religious past.”

Fakhri Abu Diab, an activist from Silwan, said told Al-Monitor:

“This act by the United States gives the green light for more settlement expansion, demolitions, ethnic cleansing, and all the practices carried out by Israel.”

Bonus Reads

“Israel Demolishes Palestinian Village Attacked by Settlers in West Bank” (Haaretz, 9/18/25)
“How Israel’s Education Minister Is Using School Trips to Push a Far-right Agenda” (Haaretz, 9/15/25)
“‘An Imposition of a Political Stance’ Israeli Principals Slam Plan to Give More Funding to West Bank School Trips Over Domestic Trips” (Haaretz, 9/17/25)
“Oscar-winning Palestinian director Basel Adra says his home in West Bank raided by Israeli soldiers” (AP, 9/14/25)
“EU Proposes Sanctions on Israel: Suspending Trade Benefits, Targeting Far-right Ministers” (Haaretz, 9/17/25)
“In the West Bank, Trump Is Not Standing in Israel’s Way” (New York Times, 9/19/25)
“Editorial: Israel’s ‘Real Estate Bonanza’ Involves Wiping Gaza Off the Face of the Earth” (Haaretz, 9/19/25)
“EU Proposes Sanctions on Israel: Suspending Trade Benefits, Targeting Far-right Ministers” (Haaretz, 9/17/25)
“Ambassador Huckabee receives honorary Samaria citizenship” (Arutz Sheva, 9/17/25)

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

September 12, 2025

Netanyahu Signs Final Approval of E-1, Celebrates End of Palestinian State
Netanyahu Delays Discussion of Plan to Annex the Jordan Valley
‘Formalizing Apartheid’: Smotrich Presents Plan to Annex 82% of the West Bank
State Land Declaration to Legalize Havat Gilad Outpost
Settlers Establish New Enclave on Key Hebron Street (Currently) Open to Palestinians
West Bank News & Analysis
East Jerusalem News & Analysis
Bonus Reads

Netanyahu Signs Final Approval of E-1, Celebrates End of Palestinian State

On September 11th, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu held a ceremony in the Ma’ale Adumim settlement to celebrate the signing of the E-1 settlement framework plan, the final approval for the construction of a settlement designed to foreclose any possibility of a Palestinian state. Netanyahu is happy to state the intention behind the settlement, saying at the ceremony that “We are going to fulfill our promise that there will be no Palestinian state, this place belongs to us.”

Bezalel Smotrich also attended the ceremony, where he told Bibi in front of the crowd:

“Mr. Prime Minister, all of us, soon, will thank you and congratulate and celebrate together the application of sovereignty throughout Judea and Samaria.”

The signing of the E-1 framework was done as part of a massive umbrella agreement worth billions of shekels to develop the wider Ma’ale Adumim and E-1 area. Peace Now reports that the framework includes a government commitment to invest 3 billion shekels in infrastructure for the construction of 7,600 housing units, of which about 3,400 are in E1. The plan seeks to double the population of the Ma’ale Adumim settlement and build new roads, public institutions, and other infrastructure – – furthering Israel’s de facto annexation of a huge area east of Jerusalem.

Ir Amim said in a statement:

“Today, the Israeli Government is expected to sign a government umbrella agreement with the West Bank settlement of Ma’ale Adumim, which will allocate 3 billion NIS to finance and accelerate the development of the E1 and Ma’ale Adumim area. The signing ceremony will be attended by the Israeli Prime Minister, underscoring the high-level political backing for this move.

In other words, annexation par excellence.

For perspective: an umbrella agreement was signed with the Jerusalem Municipality seven years ago for the city’s development that totaled just 1 billion NIS. Despite the fact that Jerusalem has 25 times more residents than Maaleh Adumim, the settlement will receive triple what was allocated to the Jerusalem municipality.

This comes on the heels of last month’s approval of the E1 settlement plans and publication of tenders for 3300 new housing units between Maaleh Adumim and the Mishor Adumim industrial zone. Following the recent intervention by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a percentage of these housing units will likely be sold at discounted rates as part of a government subsidized housing lottery.

Annexation and entrenchment of Israeli apartheid on full throttle.”

Netanyahu Delays Discussion of Plan to Annex the Jordan Valley

Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu postponed the Security Cabinet’s discussion of his plan to formally annex the Jordan Valley (some 30% of the West Bank). Israel Hayom reports that in preparing the plan for discussion in the Security Cabinet, Ron Dermer (Netanyahu’s Strategic Affairs Minister) worked with U.S. officials to OK the Jordan Valley plan and believes that, contrary to annexation of the full West Bank, the annexation of the Jordan Valley would receive bipartisan support in the United States. Netanyahu and Dermer reportedly framed the annexation push as a response to increasing diplomatic pressure on Israel vis a vis Gaza, particularly European promises to recognize a State of Palestine

Rumors of Netanyahu’s intent to advance the annexation of the Jordan Valley were followed quickly by two significant, headline-grabbing responses. First, Israeli Minister Bezalel Smotrich publicly debuted his own plan for annexation – a plan that would see Israel annex 82% of the West Bank (for more, see below), a plan that far overshadows the Netanyahu-Dermer plan. Second and in response to Smotrich’s plan, the UAE released a statement saying that annexation is a “red line” and “means there can be no lasting peace” and would “end the pursuit of regional integration” (hinting at ending the Abraham Accords, which the UAE signed in 2020). Only after the UAE statement was it reported that Netanyahu pulled Jordan Valley annexation off of the agenda for the Cabinet meeting scheduled for September 4th.

Netanyahu’s plan for a more limited annexation of the Jordan Valley is nothing new (and is of course being actively carried out in a de facto manner). Netanyahu has pushed for the de jure annexation of the Jordan Valley since at least 2019.

The Jordan Valley is home to around 65,000 Palestinians, though ~10,000 settlers have managed to exert their control over nearly 85% of the Valley. On a weekly basis, FMEP shares reporting from the ground of settler attacks on PAlestinians communities in the Jordan Valley, new outposts, more declarations of state land or closed military zones – – all of which have violently coerced many Palestinians into leaving while Israel silently annexes the Jordan Valley.

‘Formalizing Apartheid’: Smotrich Presents Plan to Annex 82% of the West Bank

On September 2nd, Israeli Finance Minister Smotrich held a press conference to unveil his proposal to annex 82% of the West Bank, a plan accompanied by a map (emblazoned with a government logo) leaving only six major Palestinian population centers as un-annexed land, entirely surrounded by the Israeli state. Smotrich publicly promoted his plan days after reporting that suggested Netanyahu was prepared to advance a plan to annex the Jordan Valley, which constitutes 30% of the West Bank – much less than Smotrich and his settlers allies are aiming for, and indeed working to achieve.

While showing off his proposed map, Smotrich said:

“We have no desire to apply our sovereignty over a population that seeks our destruction. Enemies must be fought, not allowed a comfortable life. Therefore, the overriding principle for applying sovereignty is: maximum land with minimum population.”

Smotrich estimated 80,000 Palestinians live on land that he proposes annexing to Israel, and those Palestinians will be offered the status currently held only by Palestinian East Jerusalemites — a status short of full citizenship and which denies Palestinians the right to vote for the government that rules their lives. However, as Haaretz notes, Smotrich’s assertion that 80,000 live in areas his map shows as future Israeli territory does not comport with known demographics. For example, Smotrich’s map shows all of Bethlehem and its surrounding lands as annexed to Israel, and it’s estimated that the population of this area is around 200,000 Palestinians.

Smotrich proposes the un-annexed Palestinian population centers will be islands of land administered by “regional civilian management alternatives,” calling for the Palestinian Authority to be dismantled. Knesset Member Aido Touma-Sliman said:

“Smotrich’s annexation map is the clearest expression yet of this government’s fascism. It seeks to erase an entire people by redrawing borders with brutality and arrogance, turning the West Bank into fragmented prisons with no geographic continuity under Israeli sovereignty. It exposes a regime no longer hiding behind false claims of democracy, but openly pursuing fascist control over millions of Palestinians. The international community must not look away. Every endorsement, every silence, every normalization in the face of this map is complicity in the crime of apartheid and in the erasure of the Palestinian people’s right to exist.”

Smotrich’s public pitch for annexing the majority of the West Bank (and formalizing apartheid) received harsh criticism from many corners of the international community – most notably from Israel’s Abraham Accords core partner the UAE. The Trump Administration, on the other hand, not only refrained from criticism of Smotrich but repeatedly clarified for Israeli news outlets that the U.S. has never expressed opposition to Israeli annexation plans.

To be clear, Smotrich’s plan proposes a large scale of annexation of the West Bank that he is already implementing in a de facto nature (he has admitted as much repeatedly). Since taking control over the Settlements Administration, a new division created within the Israeli Defense Ministry, Smotrich has acted as the reigning sovereign of the West Bank. With authority over all civilian matters in the West Bank and significant input on security matters, Smotrich has undertaken a mass-scale effort to annex land, increase the number of settlers, demolish/displace Palestinian communities, and hollow out the Palestinian Authority. Smotrich has fundamentally transformed Israel’s governance of the West Bank, bringing the West Bank under Israeli civilian authority and virtually eliminating the thin facade of separation between how Israel governs the occupied territories and how it governs its own sovereign territory

State Land Declaration to Legalize Havat Gilad Outpost

Peace Now reports the Israel Civil Administration has declared a huge area of land (112 acres) near Nablus to be “state land.” The land historically belonged to the Palestinian villages of Tell, Jit, and Far’ata, but in 2002 settlers illegally built the Havat Gilad outpost on privately owned land in the area and have since lobbied the Israeli government to legalize the outpost.

However – the land that has been seized does not include the land on which structures in the Havat Gilad outpost are currently built, and the seized land is, according to The Times of Israel, a “tortuously drawn and include islands of land within the state land zone that may be privately owned by Palestinians.”

Peace Now says this is an Israeli effort to establish a new settlement, not to legalize the Havat Gilad outpost. Peace Now explained:

“…the state has declared land about one kilometer south of the outpost as “state land” for the purpose of “legalizing” it. However, the declared lands show that the vast majority of the outpost’s houses are built on private land and therefore cannot be legalized. To make the outpost “legal” according to Israel’s own rules (all settlements are illegal under international law), the existing houses would have to be demolished and the outpost rebuilt elsewhere, about a kilometer away from its current location.

It is already clear, however, that in practice no buildings will be demolished; instead, new construction will simply be added on the declared land. For decades the government has allowed the outpost to continue to seize private land and has refrained from removing the settlers. It is hard to believe that now, as it promotes formal ‘regularization,’ it will suddenly demolish homes.”

As Kerem Navot has chronicled, the Havat Gilad outpost has been the subject of controversy since it was first established by settlers in 2002. Since then, the outpost has become a source of radical, serious, and frequent violence against Palestinians. In 2014, two Havat Gilad settlers were sentenced to prison for setting Palestinian vehicles on fire in a price-tag attack; its residents have also been documented harassing Palestinian farmers and denying them access to their own lands. The Israeli NGO Yesh Din – which has documented violence emanating from Havat Gilad, including against Yesh Din employees – has filed several petitions against the outpost, including a 2010 case that resulted in the demolition of some of the outpost’s structures that were built on land Israel recognized as privately-owned by Palestinians. Yesh Din’s investigation shows that Havat Gilad was built on lands that the Israeli Civil Administration has now declared to be “state land” have in fact been continuously cultivated and privately owned by Palestinians; most of the outpost’s structures have standing (but unenforced) demolition orders issued against them.

In 2018, the Israeli government came under intense pressure from the settler lobby to legalize Havat Gilad in response to a Palestinian terror attack that killed a Havat Gilad settler — and came very close to doing so. At the time, the government ran into difficulties in legalizing the outpost because some of the illegal buildings were located on land Israel recognized as privately-owned by Palestinians, and the government could not – at that time – find a legal means by which to expropriate it. Meanwhile, the settler killed in the attack was subsequently buried at the outpost, and as Al-Monitor explains, the presence of a cemetery in the outpost makes its future evacuation nearly impossible. Kerem Navot’s Dror Etkes spoke to Haaretz around this same time about the phenomenon of settlers being buried in the West Bank:

“Etkes tells Haaretz he believes the choice of where the cemeteries are situated – particularly when they lie on private land some distance from the nearest homes – is not a coincidence. ‘I work on the assumption that there are always deliberate intentions afoot,’ he says. The placement of a cemetery ‘is not chosen for no reason. It is a very long-term investment – and in Judaism, whoever buries people in a certain place does so on the understanding they will not be removed. Obviously, there is deliberate intent lurking behind the location of these cemeteries,’ Etkes continues, ‘and it may be assumed that whoever buries the dead on private Palestinian land knows exactly what he’s doing.’”

Settlers Establish New Enclave on Key Hebron Street (Currently) Open to Palestinians

Settlers have taken over a building on Shallala Street in Hebron, one of the main access streets available for Palestinians to reach the Old City of Hebron and the Ibrahimi Mosque. Shallala Street runs parallel to Shuhada Street, which is closed to Palestinians. Peace Now warns the new enclave raises concern that the Israeli government or army may move to close the street to Palestinians in order to provide security to the settlers.

Peace Now said in a statement:

“This settlement is a direct initiative of the government. The Custodian of Government Property allocated the building to the settlers, and the army opened a special passage for them to enter. The goal of establishing a settlement in the heart of Hebron’s casbah is to seize new areas of the city and displace Palestinians from them, similar to what was done in the city center around the existing settlements. The settlement in Hebron is the ugliest face of Israeli control in the territories. Nowhere else in the West Bank is apartheid so blatant. Establishing a new settlement in Hebron is a provocation that harms Israel’s political and security interests.”

On the same day as Smotrich’s presentation, Israeli forces arrested the mayor of Hebron, Tayseer Abu Sneineh. Hebron is the largest Palestinian city in the West Bank and is home to 800,000 Palestinians. Some 500 messianic Israeli settlers have been imposing their presence in the city’s old town since the 1980s, and Abu Sneineh is known for his role in a Fatah cell that planned and carried out the shooting of six Israeli and Jewish settlers in the city’s old town in 1980, locally known as the “Dabuya Operation.” After his initial arrest, Abu Sneineh was later released in a prisoner swap in 1983 alongside other members of the cell.

Abu Sneineh’s arrest came days after Israeli media outlets reported that Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was considering the establishment of a tribal “emirate” in Hebron, separate from the Palestinian Authority, which first surfaced in the pages of the Wall Street Journal last July.

Local Palestinian media speculated as to whether Abu Sneineh’s arrest was possibly a prelude to removing potential sources of local opposition to annexation, especially given Abu Sneineh’s

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

August 21, 2025

E-1 Settlement is Fully Approved
Settlers Take Over Land, Establish New Enclave n Hebron’s H-1
Settler Terrorism & Ongoing Mass Displacement in the West Bank
Bonus Reads

E-1 Settlement is Fully Approved

On August 20th, the Israeli government granted final approval for the construction of the E-1 settlement, clearing the way for infrastructure work to commence in the coming months and construction of 3,500 new settlement units to potentially begin in early 2026. The settlement is planned for an area that bisects the West Bank by connecting the Maale Adumim settlement to Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem. The design divides Ramallah and the northern West Bank from Bethlehem and the southern West Bank, which will severely affect the connectivity and fabric of life of Palestinians, and forcibly displace thousands of bedouin living in 18 communities on the land now.

The UN Office for Human Rights (OHCHR) released a statement condemning the approval saying:

“[the plan] represents another grave and unlawful step to consolidate annexation of the occupied West Bank, in violation of international law…By dramatically restricting Palestinian’s ability to move within the occupied West Bank, it will have catastrophic effects on their enjoyment of fundamental rights to access health, education, employment, and maintain family and society connections.”

Following the approval of the E-1 plan, Israel Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich celebrated by saying this settlement approval is:

“historic …[and] a significant step that practically erases the two-state delusion and consolidates the Jewish people’s hold on the heart of the Land of Israel…The Palestinian state is being erased from the table not by slogans but by deeds. Every settlement, every neighborhood, every housing unit is another nail in the coffin of this dangerous idea.”

The plan for E-1 is decried by proponents of a two-state solution, because it is designed to preclude the ability to draw a contiguous border for a Palestinian state that includes East Jerusalem communities. Unlike vociferous opposition from many European countries, the Trump Administration has not criticized the E-1 settlement approval. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told the AP that talk of a two-state solution was not a “high priority” for the Trump administration. A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department elaborated on the U.S. position:

“A stable West Bank keeps Israel secure and is in line with this administration’s goal to achieve peace in the region.”

Settlers Take Over Land, Establish New Enclave n Hebron’s H-1

Peace Now reports that settlers have taken control over and established a presence on a small plot of land in the Tel Rumeida neighborhood of central Hebron, on land located between a mosque and a Palestinian girls’ high school. There are no other settlement enclaves close to this new set up (which currently features two caravans placed on land that was cleared by the settlers in advance of moving the structures in), leading Peace Now to warn the new settler installment has “far-reaching implications for the security deployment required to protect it”.

This new settler enclave is in the H1 area of Hebron, which is supposed to be under the full authority of the Palestinian Authority; and Israeli military order prevents Israelis from entering the H-1 area.

Peace Now explains the situation in Tel Rumeida:

“The Palestinian residents of Tel Rumeida live under a regime of severe restrictions. For more than 20 years, the Israeli military has prohibited Palestinian vehicles from driving on the neighborhood’s roads. Residents must walk home on foot and carry all goods themselves. Over the past two years, the army has closed off all pedestrian access points into the neighborhood with checkpoints. Only residents registered as living in Tel Rumeida are allowed to enter – and only after inspection. The checkpoints remain open until 9:00 p.m. with one checkpoint supposedly open also after 9:00pm, however residents report that it is not consistently accessible…The new settlement is isolated and distant from the existing settler homes in Tel Rumeida and has far-reaching implications for the security deployment required to protect it. This impacts not only settlers but also the daily lives of Palestinian residents, worshippers at the mosque, and students attending the nearby school.”

Peace Now said in a statement:

“The settlement in Hebron represents the ugliest face of Israel’s control over the occupied territories. Nowhere in the West Bank is apartheid more apparent. The Netanyahu-Smotrich government has no restraints. The establishment of a new settlement within a dense Palestinian area in Hebron, particularly in an area under Palestinian control, is a provocation that undermines Israeli political and security interests. Its establishment constitutes a violation of both a signed international agreement and Israeli military law.”

Settler Terrorism & Ongoing Mass Displacement in the West Bank

Settlers continue to terrorize and forcibly displace Palestinian communities across the West Bank, including the Ein Ayoub neighborhood just last week. Increasingly brazen and emboldened by the systematic lack of enforcement against settlers for their violent crimes, settlers were filmed by a BBC film crew attacking Turmus Ayya in the central West Bank. A short distance north of Turmus Ayya, a mob of 70 settlers recently lynched two Palestinians, including 20 year old Palestinian American Saif Musallet.

OCHA presents critical reporting on the intensification of settler violence targeting Palestinians in the West Bank. It reports:

“Since the beginning of 2025, OCHA has documented more than 1,000 attacks by Israeli settlers in 230 communities across the West Bank that resulted in casualties, property damage or both, more than 60 per cent of which were in Ramallah, Nablus and Hebron governorates. In total, 11 Palestinians were killed in these attacks, including five by Israeli settlers, five by Israeli forces and one where it remains unknown if he was killed by Israeli settlers or forces. In addition, 696 Palestinians were injured in these attacks, including 473 by Israeli settlers, 217 by Israeli forces and six where it remains unknown if they were injured by Israeli settlers or forces. In comparison, 11 Palestinians were killed in attacks by settlers in 2024, including three by Israeli settlers, two by Israeli forces and six where it remains unknown whether they were killed by Israeli settlers or forces. In addition, last year, there were 486 Palestinians injured in settler attacks, including 362 by Israeli settlers, 115 by Israeli forces, and nine where it remains unknown if they were injured by Israeli settlers or forces.”

Bonus Reads

“Israeli activists briefly cross Syria border in bid to establish settlement” (The Times of Israel, 8/19/25)
“The Spread of Settlement Outposts and the Killing of Palestinians in the West Bank Are the Same Thing” (Haaretz, 8/14/25)
“EXCLUSIVE: Centrist Ruben Gallego Circulating Letter Pushing Trump to Investigate Israeli Settler Violence” (Zeteo, 8/15/25)

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

July 25, 2025

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

“‘No life without water’: Settler attacks threaten West Bank communities” (Al-Arabiya, 7/20/25)
“8 U.S. states to advance law requiring use of ‘Judea and Samaria’ in official documents” (Ynet, 7/20/25)
“Huckabee visits Christian Samaria village said to have been targeted by Israeli extremists” (JNS, 7//20/25)
“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 Report, covering everything you need to know about Israeli settlement activity this week.

To subscribe to this report, please click here.

December 5, 2024

End of Year Rush: High Planning Council Set to Meet Twice to Advance Settlement Plans

Peace Now reports that the Civil Administration’s High Planning Council met on Nov. 4th and is scheduled to meet again on Nov. 11th to consider advancing plans for a total of 501 new settlement units. In total, Peace Now reports that Israel has advanced plans for a total of 8,720 new settlement units in the West Bank in 2024.

The following plans for a total of 274 units were listed on the agenda for November 4th, with all slated to be deposited for public review (a latter stage of the planning process):

83 new units in Elon Moreh settlement, located east of Nablus (for background on the significance of the Elon Moreh settlement, please see here);
79 new units in the Mitzpe Yishai settlement; and,
112 new units in the Ma’ale Amos settlement, located between Bethlehem and Hebron.

The Committee is set to meet again on November 11th with the following plans for a total of 227 new settlement units on the agenda:

196 units in the Telem settlement – ready for final approval. The Telem settlement is located north of Hebron;
21 units in the Eli settlement – ready for deposit. The Eli settlement is located southeast of the Ariel settlement in the central West Bank. Though the Eli settlement previously received Israeli government approval, a “Master Plan” – which officially zones land for distinct purposes (residential, commercial, public) – has never been issued for Eli, meaning all construction there is illegal under Israeli law; and,
10 units in the Givat Ze’ev settlement – ready for final approval. Givat Zeev is located south of Ramallah in an area that is on the Israeli side of the barrier.

Peace Now said in a statement:

“The Israeli government is expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank as part of its broader plan to entrench Israeli control over the territories, thereby harming any chances for a political solution. After more than a year of war, Israelis and Palestinians do not need more settlement expansion but rather hope for peace and a future free from the horrors of war and occupation.”

Settlers Violently Storm Palestinian Towns After Outpost Evacuation

In the early morning hours of December 4th, dozens of settlers marauded two Palestinian cities near Nablus, and were stopped by the IDF from raiding a third. While storming through Huawara and Beit Furik, settlers threw Molotov cocktails setting at least one home and two cars on fire, and violently attacking at least one person with stones and sticks, fracturing his skull. Israeli police said that eight people have been arrested.

The attackers reportedly came from the Yitzhar settlement, and was launched as a response to the IDF’s removal of settlers from a nearby outpost called Hill 617.

In an Editorial entitled, “Israel’s Government Instigates Settler Pogroms Against Palestinians,” the Haaretz Editorial Board writes:

“When Defense Minister Israel Katz announced when he took office that would stop the use of administrative detention orders against settlers, the lawbreakers in the occupied territories immediately understood they had been given a green light to run amok. The spirit of the new commander is that there is no commander, that the extremist settlers are above the law, that the military, the Shin Bet security service and the police must obey them, that the blood of the Palestinians can be shed and that their land and assets are there for the taking. Aware of Katz’s new policy, on Wednesday, dozens of settlers threw Molotov cocktails and set fire to homes and vehicles in the towns of Beit Furik and Hawara, near Nablus.”

Beit Furik has been a repeated target of settler attacks, including a major incursion last month.

Israel Gives Settler Power Over Palestinian Property in East Jerusalem

The Israeli government has appointed Hananel Gurfinkel as the head of a newly established position of Adminstrator General of the Custodian of Absentee Property Division in the Finance Ministry. This role holds the important and powerful task for managing absentee property owned by Palestinians in East Jerusalem.

Gurfinkel lives in the Nof Zion settlement enclave in East Jerusalem, and is the founder of an organization (Boneh Yerushalayim) dedicated to building settlements in East Jerusalem.

For the past ten years, Gurfinkel has worked in the Justice Ministry’s Custodian General’s office, where he managed Jewish-owned absentee property. In that role, Haaretz reports Gurfinkel:

“used his position to aid settler organizations seeking to control Palestinian-owned properties and promote new settlement projects in the city. He facilitated the sale of land in the Silwan area to the pro-settler group Ateret Cohanim, and hired attorneys affiliated with the group and other right-wing organizations to represent the state in eviction cases targeting Palestinian families. Gurfinkel also actively supported right-wing efforts to expand Jewish settlement and reshape the demographic landscape of East Jerusalem.

Before Gurfinkel took his post, the Custodian General’s Office rarely initiated construction plans for properties under its authority. His tenure, however, marked a significant shift, culminating in a collaboration between the Justice Ministry, Ateret Cohanim and a right-wing-managed real estate company, to advance plans for three new Jewish settlements near Palestinian neighborhoods in East Jerusalem.

Hundreds of homes for Jews are set to be built in each of these new neighborhoods, adjacent to or even inside Palestinian communities.

The construction plans include the neighborhoods of Givat Shaked near the Palestinian Arab neighborhood of Sharafat, Kdmat Zion near Ras al-Amud and another neighborhood between the Palestinian villages of Umm Lison and Jabal Mukkaber…

According to Palestinian residents of Sheikh Jarrah, Gurfinkel has been enthusiastic about evicting them.”

Settlement Construction Group is Working in North Gaza, As Israeli Govt Officials Meet with Gaza Settlement Activists

Drop Site news reports that Israel has contracted with private companies specializing in settlement construction to work in northern Gaza. It is reported to be the first confirmation that Israel has hired private contractors to conduct demolitions and construction work in northern Gaza (previously documented in Rafah) – an arrangement which brings Israeli civilians to an area outside of Israel’s internationally recognized borders.

One of the confirmed private construction companies working in northern Gaza, Libi Constriction and Infrastructure Ltd., is owned by settlers and participates widely in settlement construction, including reportedly the Adei Ad outpost, the Itamar settlement, the Revava outpost. The company’s founder (Harel Libi) has a documented criminal history of illegal construction in the West Bank and has been subjected to a removal order in 2012 after participating in violent attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank.For more details on Harel Libi and his construction company, read Drop Site’s reporting.

As Israel’s actions in Gaza continue to come under increased scrutiny (with Amnesty International recognizing it as genocide this week), Israeli government officials and actions on the ground point to a long term Israeli presence. The New York Times documents how the Israeli military has entrenched its presence in Netzarim Corridor – which has been cleared of any signs of life prior to the military’s arrival. Satellite images show at least 19 large IDF bases, 12 of which have been built or expanded since September. There are also dozens of small bases in the area. Israel’s Minister of for Food Security Avi Dichter – who also services on the Isreali Security Cabinet – said at a press conference this week:

“I think most people understand that [Israel] will be [for] years in some kind of West Bank situation where you go in and out and maybe you remain along Netzarim [corridor].”

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich recently advocated for the Palestinian population in Gaza to be “thinned” by half within two years.

Meanwhile, Israeli Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf was photographed on the Gaza border meeting with prominent settlement activists Daniella Weiss, who was seen showing Goldknopf a map of Gaza showing where she plans to establish Israeli settlements.

Goldknopf stated;

“Jewish settlement here is the answer to the terrible massacre and the answer to the international court in The Hague which, instead of caring about the 101 hostages, chose to issue warrants against the Prime Minister and (former) Defense Minister.”

Appearing on Israeli TV last week, Weiss said:

“The moment that entry is possible, we enter,” she said. “We don’t wait for water supply infrastructure, generators or any other preparations. If 300 people enter at once, evacuating them would require 1,000 soldiers.”

Emek Shaveh Challenges Development of Sebastia

In November 2024, Emek Shaveh joined Palestinian landowners and the Sebastia municipality to file a petition against the construction of a military facility g at the summit of the Sebastia archaeological site. The petition complains that the plans violate private property rights and that the Isareli Staff Officer for Archaeology in the Civil Administration did not submit an opinion regarding the potential impact of a military facility on the ancient site.

The plans for construction were disclosed only months after the Israeli army issued a military order seizing the plot of land, and a year after the Israeli government passed a $9 million (NIS 32 million) plan designed to impose Israeli control over the site both logistically and in the narrative about the site’s history. E

Settlers have been openly agitating for Israel to assert control over the archaeological site in Sebastia for years, and the settler Samaria Regional Council organizes regular tours to the site. To secure the settlers’ visits, the IDF shuts down the town of Sebastia, closing Palestinian streets and businesses.

As in other cases across the West Bank, settlers allege that Palestinians are damaging the Sebastia site and that the Israeli government needs to intervene. In 2021 amidst intensifying settler efforts related to the site, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry called on UNESCO to “protect all Palestinian archaeological and religious sites from Israeli violations, attacks and falsifications.” The archaeological site of Sebastia is on the tentative list of World Heritage sites in Palestine.

Recapping Knesset Debate on Annexation via Archaeology

On November 27th, the Knesset’s Education, Culture, and Sports Committee discussed a proposed bill to expand the Israel Antiquities Authority’s jurisdiction into the West Bank, effectively annexing West Bank antiquity sites to Israeli control. This bill is being prepared for a first reading soon.

The discussion, as summarized by Emek Shaveh, included the strong objections to the bill from the Israeli archaeological community, which stressed the move would be tantamount to annexation and have repercussions for Israel. The Committee’s own legal advisor said that the bill is “incompatible with the region’s laws.”

Emek Shaven Director Alon Arad said:

“Advancing this legislative proposal amounts to the annexation of parts of the West Bank and is contrary to international law and agreements to which the State of Israel is a signatory. This is a bad and dangerous legislative proposal that reflects an extreme and messianic Jewish supremacist ideology. It is being promoted against the opinions of professionals and will inevitably harm the State of Israel, its foreign relations, its political horizon, and put its academic community at risk while hollowing out the field [of archaeology] and turning it into nothing more than a political tool.”

Settlers Set Operational Plan for Trump Administration

At the end of November, the settler Yesha Council convened a high-level meeting in Jerusalem to develop a “operational strategy” to implement the expansion of settlements and annexation of the West Bank during the Trump Administration.

The meeting reportedly proposed a plan that would establish 3-4 new settlements and expand the jurisdiction of regional councils over all of the West Bank land, including Palestinian areas (current jurisdictions only include settler populations). In tandem, the group proposes removing he Palestinian Authority from a position of any control and hinting at dismantling it altogether. Israel Hayom reports that MK Boaron explains:

“Instead [of the PA], the Arab population in the West Bank would be under self-governing municipal authorities. These would receive and pay for services from Israel, with residents holding status similar to Jerusalem’s Arab residents. Their national orientation would mirror the pre-1967 arrangement under Jordanian administration.””

MK Boaron also called for transforming the Jordan Valley into a “power generation huib” by building many power stations there. Plans for the two new power stations were recently announced by Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen.

Likud MK Avihai Boaron, who attended the meeting, said:

“We are at a critical juncture – a window of opportunity that we can utilize either wisely or squander. Taking the foolish path would merely result in 700,000 residents and additional housing units four years from now. The wise approach would establish conditions to make Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley inseparable from Israel – not just by creating demographic facts on the ground, but by fundamentally transforming the region’s administrative framework.”

Don’t Miss: New Reports from B’Tselem & Yesh Din

On December 3rd, B’Tselem released a new report on the escalation of brutal policing of Palestinians in Hebron, including patterns of arbitrary arrests, severe beatings and zero accountability. The report presents over 20 testimonies collected between May and August 2024. Victims describe being randomly seized by soldiers, mostly as they were walking down the streets of the city, going about their daily affairs. They were beaten and subjected to severe abuse by soldiers, sometimes in the street, and at other times inside military outposts where they were taken.

In November, Yesh Din released a report documenting at the Abu Awwad family’s case and the severe (and insane) movement restrictions facing the family in the village of Turmusaya in the central West Bank. The family’s sole access to their residential compound, located on the outskirts of the town, was blocked by an earth mound of dirt and stones placed by soldiers and settlers in October 2023. This was only the start of a year of increasing imposition of restrictions imposed on the family by Israeli soldiers. Yesh Din has accompanied the family in filing a petition with the Israeli High Court of Justice to have the earth mound removed.

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

To subscribe to this report, please click here.

July 19, 2024

Historic ICJ Advisory Opinion Says Israel’s Occupation is Illegal, Calls for Settlements to be Dismantled
Israel Grants Itself Civilian Control of An Additional 3% of West Bank Land
Settlers Enter Abu Nab House in Batan al-Hawa, Silwan As Shehadeh Family Faces 20-Day Eviction Notice
Palestinians Blast IDF Closure of Courtyard in Ibrahimi Mosque Complex
New Outpost Established East of Ramallah
European Union Issues New Sanctions on Israeli Settlers, Orgs, and Outposts
U.S. Sanctions Two More Individuals, Including First Military Target
Further Reading on Silwan, Masafer Yatta & More
Bonus Reads

Historic ICJ Advisory Opinion Says Israel’s Occupation is Illegal, Calls for Settlements to be Dismantled

In an advisory opinion issued on July 19th, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem and the West Bank is illegal, and its policies constitute apartheid. The Court said that Israel should immediately end its occupation, make restitution to those damaged by it, including dismantling settlements, evacuating all settlers, and dismantling parts of the Separation Barrier that fall east of the 1967 Green Line. It also calls for the return of all Palestinians who were displaced from their homes as a result of Israel’s occupation.

In delivering the Court’s findings, ICJ President Nawaf Salam said:

“The sustained abuse of Israel of its position as an occupying power through annexation and an assertion of permanent control over the occupied Palestinian territory and continued frustration of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination violates fundamental principles of international law and renders Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful.”

Further, the Court – which is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations – calls on all States “not to recognize as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by the continued presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.” This includes banning trade and investments that touch Israel’s settlements. Though the advisory opinion is non-binding, the Court’s rulings hold legal and moral authority.

The Palestinian human rights group Al-Haq issued a detailed explainer in advance of the opinion’s release, which is a good resource for understanding the legal questions the Court was considering. Following the publication of the opinion, Al-Haq posted on X:

“This is a first step towards rectifying the generational harm of Israel’s illegal occupation, ongoing Nakba, settler-colonialism and apartheid to the Palestinian people, which must be ended, and all Israeli discriminatory measures and legislation repealed. Set against a backdrop of aggressive settlement expansion, increased settler attacks & the GazaGenocide the Advisory Opinion is a stark reminder to States and corporations alike of the need to take concrete action against Israel’s crimes and end Israeli presence in Palestine.”

Even in advance of the release of the ICJ’s advisory opinion, Israeli government officials were bracing for its findings. Smotrich even called on Netanyahu to annex the West Bank in retaliation, a demand he reiterated after the opinion was published.

Israel Grants Itself Civilian Control of An Additional 3% of West Bank Land

Peace Now reports that the Israeli Commander of the Central Command has signed two new orders granting the Israeli government vast planning authorities an additional 3% or 41,300 acres (167,000 dunams) of the West Bank, in the areas to the east of and between Bethlehem and Hebron. Previously, these lands were under the (theoretical) civilian control of the Palestinian Authority (areas A & B according to the Oslo Accords), much to the dismay of settlers and their government allies who have been agitating for control over an ever-increasing amount of land in the West Bank in order, at least in part, to demolish Palestinian construction in the area.

The first order granted Israeli authority to operate in these areas, and the second order made construction in the areas illegal – establishing guidelines for Israeli authorities to demolish any/all Palestinian buildings if they were built after 1998 (the Wye Agreement). Importantly, Bezalel Smotrich and his allies hold authority within the Civil Administration to pursue and enforce demolitions.

Peace Now said in a statement:

“There is no end to the desire for control and annexation by the settler government. The Israeli government is taking upon itself authorities that Netanyahu himself transferred to the Palestinians under the Wye Agreement in 1998. There is no Israeli interest in demolishing Palestinian homes in Area B, which will only harm Israel’s security and international standing, but it solely serves the interests of messianic settlers. It should be noted that the “Agreed-Upon Reserve” is not a genuine nature reserve. It is an Israeli invention born out of the Wye Agreement, where Netanyahu sought to prevent the implementation of agreements signed with the Palestinians and to avoid transferring authority to them in these territories. Therefore, they were defined as “reserves” so that the territories would be transferred to Palestinians but with a prohibition on Palestinian construction. However, they do not constitute an actual reserve.”

Settlers Enter Abu Nab House in Batan al-Hawa, Silwan As Shehadeh Family Faces 20-Day Eviction Notice

Peace Now reports that on July 16th settlers entered the home owned by the Palestinian Abu-Nab family in Silwan and immediately began construction work inside. Last week the Jerusalem District Court ruled in favor of the settlers claim to home and ordered the immediate dispossession of the Abu Nab family. Settlers acted fast to take possession of the home while the family was not home, even as the Abu Nab family lawyer prepared an appeal against the ruling.

On the same day that settlers entered the Abu Nab family home, the Shehadeh family (who lives next door to the Abu-Nabs) received an eviction notice giving them 20 days to leave their home or face forcible eviction. The Shehadeh family has already been denied an appeal by the Israeli Supreme Court.

Peace Now said in a statement:

“This is a real alarm. If the government does not intervene and if pressure is not applied on it to intervene, we may see Israeli police forcibly evicting Palestinian families from their homes in Silwan in the coming weeks, and settlers moving in instead. This is a terrible injustice based on discriminatory laws and the exploitation of the vulnerability of East Jerusalem residents, who are not equal citizens living under occupation in Jerusalem. This is part of a larger scheme to expel an entire Palestinian community to make way for settlements in East Jerusalem, and this crime must be stopped. Now.”

Palestinians Blast IDF Closure of Courtyard in Ibrahimi Mosque Complex

The Palestinian-run Hebron Municipality condemned the closure of a courtyard outside of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron. The director of the Hebron Endowments, Ghassan Al-Rajabi, on July 11th Israeli troops used sheet metal to close off the courtyard area. Rajabi called it, “a blatant assault against the sanctity and status of the Mosque.”

The Hebron Municipality issued a statement saying:

“This assault comes as part of the statistical projects that seek to consecrate the honorable Abrahamic Shrine and its surroundings, and impose complete control over it by erecting tracks and an electric elevator earlier to facilitate the settlers’ access to the shrine, which will cause its historical and religious landmarks to be distorted and changed and violated the religious and cultural rights of the original owners of the land And the ability to exercise and access their religious rights freely and safely. Know that the occupation authorities had this plan for years and it has been objected and objected by the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, the owner of the legal, legal and administrative state on the shrine.”

New Outpost Established East of Ramallah

Palestinian sources report that settlers established a new outpost east of Ramallah on July 15th.

Hassan Mleihat, the general supervisor of the Al-Baidar Organization said at a press conference:

“A group of extremist settlers set up tents and placed barbed wire over land belonging to the village of Burqa, east of Ramallah…This area has seen rising conflicts between illegal settlers and Palestinians over land, and the new outpost is part of the occupation government’s plans to seize more land for settlement expansion.”

European Union Issues New Sanctions on Israeli Settlers, Orgs, and Outposts

On July 15th the European Union on Monday sanctioned five Israeli settlers, two outposts and one settler organization group that it deemed are “responsible for serious and systematic human rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank.” the European Council, the E.U. body that represents the heads of the member governments, said in a statement.

These sanctions duplicated some of the sanctions the U.S. has imposed already.

Israeli press reports that several additional countries – including the U.K. under new leadership – have warned Israeli officials that more sanctions should be expected should Smotrich continue his settlement and annexation activities. Haaretz reports that Israeli officials are concerned sanctions will be placed on the major settler groups Amana and Regavim.

U.S. Sanctions Two More Individuals, Including First Military Target

The United States made two announcements of new sanctions this week. First on July 17th the U.S. said it had designated Shlomo Yehezkel Hai Sarid, who is the head of the previously-sanctioned Tsav 9 settler organization. Then on July 18th the U.S. announced that it had sanctioned Elor Azaria, who is a former IDF sergeant who was filmed executing a wounded Palestinian in 2016. Azaria was convicted by an Israeli court and served only 18 months in prison.

So far, the U.S. has placed sanctions on 11 settlers and 11 settler entities who have perpetrated violence and disorder in the West Bank. Azaria is unique among the designated individuals in that he was sanctioned for his actions while serving in the Israeli IDF some eight years ago, not for his active participation in settler terrorism.

Bonus Reads

“The US held off sanctioning this Israeli army unit despite evidence of abuses. Now its forces are shaping the fight in Gaza” (CNN)
“Some 100,000 Palestinian Residents of Jerusalem Receive Only 4-12 Hours of Running Water per Week” (Ir Amim)
“Israel’s legalization of settlements in the northern West Bank, explained” (Mondoweiss)
“Far-right groups that block aid to Gaza receive tax-deductible donations from US and Israel” (AP)
“What life is like for Palestinians living under Israeli occupation” (Al Jazeera Video)

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

To subscribe to this report, please click here.

July 12, 2024

A Stunning, Expansive Time for Israel’s West Bank Annexation
Civil Admin Seizes Patchwork of Plots as “State Land” in Order to Legalize the Evyatar Outpost
Government Establishes Jurisdiction for New Settlement on World Heritage Site Near Bethlehem
Settlers Takeover New Building in Hebron
Historic Year for Land Grabs: Israel Seizes Over 3,000 Acres in the Jordan Valley as “State Land”
Civil Admin Advances Plans to Legalize Three Outposts & Build 5k New Units Across West Bank
Israeli Cabinet Gives Civil Admin Authority Over Antiquity Sites in Area B
Israeli Cabinet Supports Knesset Considers Bill to Transfer West Bank Antiquities Control from Civil Admin to Domestic Body
U.S. Issues New Round of Sanctions Against Settlers & Settler Organizations
Israeli Court Orders 11 Families Out of Homes in Batan al-Hawa, Silwan
Israeli Court Rules to Demolish Wadi Hilweh Info Center in Silwan
Israeli Court Tells Settlers To Leave Khalidi Library in Old City of Jerusalem
Israel to Advance 6,000+ Settlement Units in East Jerusalem in Coming Weeks
Amidst Wave of Violence, Settlers Lead Progrom On Massafer Yatta Region
Ariel Settlers Close Access Road to Palestinians
IDF Demolishes Outposts, Clashes With Settlers
Bonus Reads

A Stunning, Expansive Time for Israel’s West Bank Annexation

Over the past two weeks, Israel has unleashed a flurry of settlement activity that makes its annexation of the West Bank complete. Even a small sampling of those acts, detailed below along with other news, are stunning when taken together. Indeed, Israeli National Missions Minister Orti Strock called this “a miraculous time,” referring to the control her and her allies have over key government bodies and how easy it is for them to fund settlement construction. Strock is a member of the Religious Zionism party, along with Bezalel Smotrich.

Renowned Israeli human rights lawyer Michael Sfard encapsulates this time powerfully in an article entitled, “Smotrich Has Completed Israel’s Annexation of the West Bank”:

“The only thing the annexationist criminals must be saying to themselves now is: why did we wait for 57 years? It’s so easy.”

Civil Admin Seizes Patchwork of Plots as “State Land” in Order to Legalize the Evyatar Outpost

On July 8th, the Israeli government declared 16 acres (66 dunams) of land south of Nablus as Israeli “state land” in order to pave the way for the legalization of the Evyatar outpost. Palestinians who have private ownership claims to the land have 45 days in which to submit an appeal. The declaration is the result of three years of “work” by Smotrich’s Settlements Administration to examine the status of the land in order to find a way for the state to take control of the land in order to legalize the outpost. The declaration comes one week after the Israeli Security of Cabinet decided in favor of legalizing the Evyatar outpost along with four other outposts.

The Evyatar outpost was illegally built by settlers on a strategic hilltop named Mount Sabih, located just south of Nablus on land historically belonging to nearby Palestinian villages Beita, Yatma, and Qablan. It was evacuated by the Israeli government in 2021 in the context of an agreement with settlers that left all construction at the site in place, maintained an IDF presence at the site, and made clear the government’s intent to legalize settlement at the site in the future – a goal which was made more than official when it was agreed to in writing as part of the coalition agreements that formed the current Israeli government.

To underscore the absurdity which has characterized the State’s blatant intent to legalize Evyatar even though Israeli law makes that an impossibility because parts of the land are recognized by the State as privately owned by Palestinians (which is the only reason Evyatar has yet to be legalized), the State’s new declaration of “state land” is a complete patchwork. The order does not include the land on which the central square of the outpost is built, nor does it include 11 buildings, or, very importantly, the access road leading from the main road to the outpost. The implications of this patchwork is that even though the privately owned land was not seized, Palestinians will remain unable to access the land and will, in practice, lose that land as well as land abutting the settlement as it grows, expands, and establishes control over the area with the assistance of the IDF.

Peace Now reports that this is the fifth “state land” declaration so far in 2024 bringing the total land in the West Bank taken into Israeli control this year to 5,879 acres (23,572 dunams), breaking all previous annual records combined. Israel invented the concept of “state land” in order to find means by which to confiscate land in the occupied West Bank, and to do so Israel cites Ottoman law which provided that land which has not been cultivated in consecutives years becomes the property of the sovereign. Peace Now explains:

“The declaration process is essentially a legal maneuver developed by Israel to circumvent the prohibition in international law against expropriating private property of the occupied population for the benefit of the occupying power. To “convert” private land into public land (termed “state land”) without expropriating it, Israel claims that it is not changing the land’s status but merely “declaring” it officially.

According to Israel’s interpretation of Ottoman land law, which underpins the land laws in the occupied territories, if a landowner does not cultivate their land for several years, the land is no longer theirs and becomes public property. To this end, the mapping personnel of the Civil Administration, now operating under the Settlements Administration with legal counsel under Minister Smotrich, examine aerial photographs to identify uncultivated lands and mark them as “state land.”

The declaration map for the Evyatar outpost shows that there were indeed several cultivated lands, even by Israel’s stringent interpretation. For example, the declaration creates an enclave of about 3.5 dunams in the middle of the area designated for the settlement, considered private land. In principle, Israel would argue that it is not expropriating this area and that the Palestinian landowners are still recognized as the owners. However, as in hundreds of similar cases, it is clear that they will not have access to their land and no possibility of using it when it is located in the middle of an Israeli settlement.

To enable an access road connecting the outpost to the main road without crossing private land, the map’s designers managed to “find” an 11-meter-long and 1.5-meter-wide corridor of land that they claim was uncultivated and thus considered state land. This interpretation of Ottoman law brings it to absurdity.

According to this, if a person has a plot and cultivates it intensively, but there is a small uncultivated strip on the edges, say a rock that cannot be plowed, that small part of the plot is not owned by the landowner. This interpretation is far removed from the purpose of the Ottoman law, which was to encourage the empire’s subjects to cultivate the lands to increase its tax revenues.

Regarding the access road – in any case, for modern vehicles, a road 1.5 meters wide is insufficient, and it is clear that to allow access to the settlement, the state will encroach on private Palestinian lands (requiring another legal maneuver). Thus, it can be said that this entire declaration of state land is essentially an unlawful expropriation under international law.”

Government Establishes Jurisdiction for New Settlement on World Heritage Site Near Bethlehem

On July 9th, the IDF Commander signed an order establishing the jurisdiction for a new settlement on the lands just west of Bethlehem, lands that are recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Notably, the jurisdiction for the new settlement, called “Nahal Heletz”, does not include the land on which two illegal outposts already exist on Battir’s land. The new settlement is being planned for land that is between Bethlehem and several villages to its west (Walaja, Battir, and Husan) – meaning that construction on this land will sever the territorial continuity of Palestinian land in the Bethlehem region, and, in the words of Peace Now: “turn them [the villages] into an enclave within Israeli territory.”

There are several extraordinary facts about this land and Israel’s legal acrobatics to establish a new settlement at this location:

1. The status of the land within the new jurisdiction is unclear, and quite possibly includes privately owned Palestinian land. The Israeli Blue Line Team (a government effort to precisely map the boundaries of state land in the West Bank) has prepared updated maps to show the boundaries of state land in the area, but has yet to release it – meaning that the status of the land is unclear. The jurisdiction appears to stretch beyond the previously understood boundaries of land that Israel seized as “state land” in the 1980s, onto land that is privately owned by Palestinians. The updated boundaries might change that fact in the eyes of the Israeli government. But,once the new Blue Line in the area is made public, Palestinians will/should be able to contest it.
2. There is no access road to the area, and it is surrounded by privately owned Palestinian land. Israel will have to unilaterally expropriate privately owned Palestinian land in order to pave a road to the new settlement – – an extraordinary act which Israel has done in the past (having invented a legal basis on which to do it, a concept which considers Israeli settlers as part of the “local population” of the West Bank).
3. The jurisdictional area established by this new order is too small for real development – just under 30 acres (120 dunams). Peace Now explains that “small settlements severely impact open spaces, require substantial resources for infrastructure and transportation, and contradict fundamental planning principles. The sole reason for establishing such a settlement is political: the desire to prevent a Palestinian territorial continuity in the Bethlehem area and the possibility of a viable Palestinian state.”
4. The jurisdiction is a stones throw away from Palestinian houses and Area B.

Settlers Takeover New Building in Hebron

Peace Now reports that in early June 2024 settlers have taken over a building (“Beit HaTkuma”) in Hebron and established a new settlement enclave there. The house, which settlers illegally entered once before but were removed under the Bennet-Lapid government, on the main road leading from the Kiryat Arba settlement to the Tomb of the Patriarchs/Al-Ibrahimi Mosque.

Settlers claim to have purchased the house, which is a three-story building, from its Palestinians owners, and report that the Civil Administration has recently issued them a permit to begin the registration process. The timing of this permit coincides with the first days of Hillel Roth’s assumption of his role in the Defense Ministry as the civilian in charge of all land matters in the West Bank. Upon receiving the permit (allegedly), the settlers decided to enter and occupy the building although the permit does not provide for that. [map]

Historic Year for Land Grabs: Israel Seizes Over 3,000 Acres in the Jordan Valley as “State Land”

On June 25th, the head of the IDF signed an order declaring 3,138 acres (12,700 dunams) of land in the Jordan Valley as “state land” – the largest state land seizure since the Oslo Accords were signed in 1993. This is the first declaration enacted under the authority of Hillel Roth, the new civilian deputy in the Civil Administration responsible for land policy in Area C of the West Bank. Peace Now reports that the legal opinion supporting this massive declaration of state land was crafted by lawyers in the Department of Defense and not legal advisors with the IDF.

Peace Now further reports:

“A significant part of the area that was declared as state land was previously defined as a nature reserve, and also as a “fire area”, for military use, for decades. Today’s announcement completes the Israeli takeover of this area that has been done so far through the declaration of the area as a military area and as a nature reserve – something that imposed many restrictions on the Palestinians’ ability to use their lands. The declaration creates a territorial continuity between the settlements in the Jordan Valley (Yifit and Masu’a) and the settlements at the eastern end of the mountainside (Gitit and Ma’ale Efraim).”

So far in 2024, Israel has declared 5,852 acres as “state land” a figure eclipsing any other year since the Oslo Accords were signed in 1993. The highest previous total was in 2014, and it was for 1,181 acres.

Civil Admin Advances Plans to Legalize Three Outposts & Build 5k New Units Across West Bank

On July 4th, the Israeli Civil Administration approved the advancement of plans for 5,295 settlement units, including plans which would in effect legalize three outposts under the guise of being “neighborhoods” of existing settlements. This is the first time the Civil Administration’s High Planning Council has met since it came under the authority of a civilian official, Hillel Roth, who was appointed by Bezalel Smotrich. The HPC last met in March 2024. The Associated Press has called Israel’s advancement of plans a “turbo charged settlement drive [that] threatens to further stoke tensions on the West Bank.”

The three outposts that are now on their way to legalization, once given final approval, are:

Mahane Gadi – to be legalized as a neighborhood of the Masu’a settlement in the northern Jordan Valley. This outpost was built in 2018 on an abandoned Isareli military camp. The outpost currently functions as an educational campus and pre-military academy. Plans advanced this week are for the construction of 260 settlement units. Masu’a settlement, and its outpost satellites, were recently benefitted by the Israeli government’s massive declaration of state land that borders Masu’a.
Givat Hanan (Susya East) – to be legalized as a neighborhood of the Susya settlement located in the South Hebron Hills.
Kedem Arava – it appears that the Kedem Arava outpost was legalized along with Beit Hogla in February 2023 (previously unclear), located south east of Jericho. Plans advanced this week are for 316 settlement units in the Kedem Arava outpost area, but filed as if they are plans for the Beit Hogla settlement.

The settlement plans that were approved for validation (a near final step in the West Bank planning process) are:

Beitar Illit – 298 settlement units. An additional 453 units were approved for deposit (751 settlement units total).
Givat Zeev – 452 settlement units
Mitzpe Yericho – 365 settlement units
Nokdim – 290 settlement units
Immanuel – 266 settlement units
Elon Moreh – 186 settlement units
Kiryat Arba – 165 settlement units
Negohot – 158 settlement units
Tzofim – 74 settlement units
Ganei Modiin – 46 settlement units
Etz Efraim – 12 settlement units. An additional 24 units were approved for deposit (36 units total)
Eli – 24 settlement units
Mitzad (Asfar) – 6 settlement units

The settlement plans that were approved for deposit (an earlier step in the West Bank planning process) are:

Neria – 436 settlement units
Modin Illit – 300 settlement units
Gva’ot – 250 settlement units. There were over 1,000 plans for the Gva’ot settlement on the High Planning Council’s agenda, but only one plan was advanced, the rest continue to be worked on.
Yakir – 168 settlement units. Haaretz reports that these units are slated to be built on land that is discontiguous from the built up area of the Yakir settlement, on the far side of the settlement’s access road, effectively building a new settlement. The construction of these units requires the evacuation of a military base.
Kiryat Netafim – 136 settlement units
Hagai – 135 settlement units
Maale Shomron (Elamatan) – 120 settlement units
Almon (Anatot) – 91 settlement units
Shilo – 90 settlement units
Pduel – 37 settlement units
Revava – 16 settlement units
Elkana – 8 settlement units
Shaarei Tikva – 6 settlement units

Peace Now said in a statement:

“Netanyahu and Smotrich’s agenda became evident through the decisions of the Planning Council: approval for thousands of housing units, the establishment of three new settlements, and strategic appointments of Smotrich’s allies in key roles instead of military personnel underscore the annexation occurring in the West Bank. Our government continues to change the rules of the game in the occupied West Bank, leading to irreversible harm. While the north is neglected and citizens across the country are abandoned, with 120 hostages still in Gaza, the process of annexation and land theft continues to expand, contrary to Israeli interests. This annexationist government severely undermines the security and future of both Israelis and Palestinians, and the cost of this recklessness will be paid for generations to come. We must bring down the government before it’s too late.”

Israeli Cabinet Gives Civil Admin Authority Over Antiquity Sites in Area B

In late June, the Israeli Cabinet approved several punitive measures against the Palestinian Authority, measures which included usurping the Palestinian Authority’s singular responsibility for antiquity sites in Area B. Under the decision passed last week, the Civil Administration was granted enforcement powers over antiquity sites in Area B that are alleged to be damaged.

Emek Shaveh explains why this is incredibly significant:

“Approximately 6,000 archaeological sites have been identified in the West Bank. Almost every village or settlement contains archaeological and historical remains that require archaeological supervision to prevent damage to sites, structures, or findings. Thousands of sites are located in Areas A and B…expanding the powers of the [Civil Administration] into these areas represents another Israeli departure from the Oslo Accords. The implications of the decision for Palestinian residents are far reaching. The Staff Officer for Archaeology [in the Civil Administration], which derives its authority from the antiquities law effective in the West Bank (the Jordanian Antiquities Law of 1966), will now be empowered to perform various enforcement actions in Area B including:

Declaration of archaeological sites, determining their boundaries.

Issuing work stoppage orders for any development within the boundaries of a declared site or a site suspected of containing archaeological remains.

Imposing fines for damage to an antiquity site, whether the site is declared or not.

Demolishing structures located within a declared archaeological site or one that will be declared in the future.

Collecting information, investigating, and requesting the arrest of suspects in antiquities theft or illegal antiquities trade.

This decision taken together with other decisions for Area B aimed at promoting annexation will dramatically reduce Palestinian space. It should be noted that the SOA consistently avoids enforcing the law when it comes to heritage site destruction by settlers (this is true in Hebron, Battir, and in other places)….

The expansion of archaeological activity into the oPt, especially as reflected in this cabinet decision, indicates the government’s intention to promote annexation by any means. It also fundamentally challenges the possibility of conducting impartial archaeological-scientific activity as long as it operates as part of an oppressive mechanism under military auspices. Israeli archaeological activity in the West Bank necessarily becomes an act of land appropriation and a deepening of Israel’s hold on the West Bank. This action violates international law and ethics, disregards the existence of the Palestinian community, and serves as a weapon for oppression.

The destruction of sites cannot and should not serve as a pretext for political action, and political action should not be disguised as archaeological activity. Blurring the distinction between heritage preservation and settlement and annexation activities turns the practice of archaeology into a weapon of oppression while undermining its professional legitimacy.”

Notably, Israel Hayom credits this Cabinet action to a settler group called “Keepers of the Eternal,” (or, “Guardians of Eternity” – an offshoot of Regavim) the leader of which called the new powers granted to the Civil Administration “dramatic.” FMEP has reported on this group repeatedly as it has increased its pressure on and work with the government to take control of West Bank antiquity sites. Dating back to June 2020, the “Guardians of Eternity” began surveying areas in the West Bank that Israel has designated as archaeological sites, looking for Palestinian construction (barred by Israel in such areas) that they could then use as a pretext to demand that Israeli authorities demolish it. The group systematically began communicating its findings to the Archaeology Unit of the Israeli Civil Administration.

Then in January 2021, the Israeli government committed funding to a settler initiative to surveil archeological sites under Palestinian control. While the objective of protecting antiquities might appear uncontroversial and apolitical, the true (and transparently self-evident) objectives behind this effort are: to support yet another pretext to surveil and police Palestinians; to establish and exploit yet another means to dispossess Palestinians of their properties; to expand/deepen Israeli control across the West Bank; and to further entrench Israeli technical, bureaucratic and legal paradigms that treat the West Bank as sovereign Israeli territory. It is the result of a campaign that has taken place over the past year in which settlers have escalated their calls for the Israeli government to seize antiquities and “heritage sites” located in Palestinian communities across the West Bank, especially in Area C, which Israel today treats as functionally (and legally) indistinguishable from sovereign Israeli territory.

Israeli Cabinet Supports Knesset Considers Bill to Transfer West Bank Antiquities Control from Civil Admin to Domestic Body

Emek Shaveh reports that the Israeli cabinet gave its support to a bill in the Knesset that would transfer authority over West Bank antiquity sites from the Defense Ministry’s Civil Administration to the domestic Israeli Antiquities Authority, bringing the cultural, heritage, and archaeological sites in the West Bank under the direct control of the Israeli government in which West Bank Palestinians have no rights.

The bill, as proposed by Likud’s Amit Halevi, explains that the move is justifiable because the West Bank antiquity sites (unbelievably) “have no historical or other connection to the Palestinian Authority.” The bill passed a preliminary vote in the Knesset on July 10th.

U.S. Issues New Round of Sanctions Against Settlers & Settler Organizations

On July 11th, the United States announced another round of sanctions targeting Israeli settlers and settler organizations it asserts are perpetrating violent crimes against Palestinians and Israeli solidarity activists in the West Bank. These sanctions expand the web or already sanctioned individuals and entities.

The individuals and entities sanctioned by the U.S. this week are:

1 settler organization:
- Lehava – a settler group led by Benzi Gopstein, who is already under U.S. sanctions.
3 individuals:
- Issachar Manne – who established the Manne’s Farm outpost.
- Reut Ben Haim – the co-head of the Tzav 9 settler group, which is already under U.S. sanctions;
- Shlomo Sari – the co-head of the Tzav 9 settler group, which is already under U.S. sanctions;
Four illegal outposts:
- Meitarim Farm (established by Yinon Levi, who is already under U.S. sanctions);
- HaMahoch Farm (established by Neria Ben Pazi, who is already under U.S. sanctions);
- Neria’s Farm (established by Neria Ben Pazi, who is already under U.S. sanctions); and,
- Manne’s Farm, established by Issachar Manne, who came under sanctions this week, and located in the South Herbon Hills.

Notably, The Times of Israel has previously reported that in 2021 a corporation owned by the Har Hebron Regional Council signed a legally binding contract with Yinon Levi (a previously sanctioned individual) to establish Meitarim Farm. This legal connection exposes the settlement municipality to US sanctions as well.

Aaron David Miler, a former state department Middle East negotiator now a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, tells The Guardian that the expanding targets of U.S. sanctions are creeping closer towards the Israeli government, saying:

“It appears that [the U.S. State Department] not just targeted extremist settlers but … introduced a linkage to territoriality by citing illegal outposts…It doesn’t take much imagination to conclude that the next target would be [Israeli] government financing for illegal outposts. And that would be a new departure to be sure.”

Sara Yager, Washington director of Human Rights Watch, said:

“In this case we’re pleased that the Biden administration is going farther than before with the alert…Now it’s time for sanctions against the Israeli authorities that are approving and inciting. We want to see the US, UK, Canada and others focus on power behind all this in the West Bank.”

Israeli Court Orders 11 Families Out of Homes in Batan al-Hawa, Silwan

This week the Jerusalem District Court ruled on two significant cases affecting 11 Palestinian families in Silwan facing forcible eviction from their homes at the hands of the Ateret Cohanim settler organization. Both cases were found in favor of the settlers, leaving 11 families at risk of imminent mass displacement from East Jerusalem. The Palestinians plan to appeal the ruling to the Israeli Supreme Court – though it was only a month ago that the Supreme Court rejected an appeal by the Shehadeh family whose case is similar to those decided this week.

On July 9th, the Israeli court rejected the final appeal of the Gheith and Abu Nab families (4 family units totalling 22 individuals) and ordered their immediate eviction. The families were also ordered to pay the legal fees incurred by Ateret Cohanim.

On July 10th, the Israeli court rejected the final appeal of the Rajabi family (7 family units, 65 individuals), ruling that the 66-member family must vacate their longtime home by January 2025.

In both cases, Ateret Cohanim claims ownership of the buildings becuase it gained control of the historic Benvenisti Trust, which oversaw the assets of Yemenite Jews who lived in Silwan in the 19th century. In 2001 the Israeli Charitable Trust Registrar granted Ateret Cohanim permission to revive the trust and become its trustees following 63 years of dormancy. In 2002, the Israeli Custodian General transferred ownership of the land in Batan al-Hawa to the Trust (i.e., to Ateret Cohanim). Since then, Ateret Cohanim has accelerated its multi-pronged campaign to remove Palestinians from their homes, claiming that the Palestinians are illegal squatters. Silwan is just one site of Ateret Cohanim’s work to establish Jewish enclaves inside densely populated Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem, for the explicit purpose of “reclaiming” Palestinian parts of Jerusalem for Jews.

Ir Amim explains:

“These families are among some 85 Palestinian families, consisting of over 700 individuals, who face largescale displacement and settler takeovers of their homes in Batan al-Hawa. This is a result of eviction claims filed by a Jewish trust established in the 19th century, which is now controlled by the Ateret Cohanim settler group who is exploiting it to take over Palestinian homes.

While carried out under a veneer of legitimacy, the proceedings are underpinned by discriminatory laws, political motivations, and a system that is rigged against Palestinians from the outset which deprives them of equal access to justice. Moreover, theses measures are a violation of international law and could amount to a form of forcible transfer.

Rather than adjudicating these cases from a broader perspective, which includes moral, geopolitical, and humanitarian considerations, as well as international law, the Israeli judiciary is instead complicit with these moves.

These cases are part and parcel of a coordinated and systematic political campaign aimed at uprooting Palestinians and expanding Jewish settlement in the heart of Palestinian neighborhoods. While the eviction claims themselves are initiated by settlers, they are aided and abetted on all levels of the state, which carry far-reaching implications on the future of Jerusalem and the conflict as a whole.”

Israeli Court Rules to Demolish Wadi Hilweh Info Center in Silwan

On July 3rd, the Jerusalem Court of Local Affairs ruled that the Wadi Hilweh Information Center will be demolished within a year, and fined the Center over $5,000 (NIS 20,000). The Wadi Hilweh Information Center is run by prominent activist Jawad Siyam, who along with the center is a fixture in Silwan and an important interlocutor with diplomats and alternative tourism who are seeking to learn about Palestinian history in the area and current struggles to remain there while enduring state + settler harassment and displacement.

The Center was opened in 2009, at which time the Jerusalem Municipality issued a warning notice demanding the demolition of part of the building that was recently “renovated” (the roof was repaired) because the Center did not obtain an Israeli-issued building permit to do the work. The Center says that the building itself predates Israel’s control of the area in 1967. It currently stands in the shadow of the massive “City of David Visitors Center” complex that the Elad settler organization has built over the years.

Peace Now said in a statement:

“Instead of taking care of all the residents of Jerusalem, Jews and Arabs, the Jerusalem Municipality works to harm the Palestinian residents and make their lives difficult. The tourist settlement in the Palestinian neighborhoods around the Old City, which is massively supported by the government, is aiming at erasing the Palestinian presence from the public space in East Jerusalem. The pressures exerted by the municipality against the Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Silwan and the intention to demolish it, are for the political purpose of not allowing the residents to organize and make their voices heard in the public domain.”

Israeli Court Tells Settlers To Leave Khalidi Library in Old City of Jerusalem

On June 30th, the Jerusalem District Court made a group of settlers vacate ta building in the Khalidi Library complex located in the Old City of Jerusalem after they broke into the building and occupied it three days prior. The library is within eyesight of the Western/Wailing Wall plaza (Kotel Plaza), on Chain Gate Road, which leads to the Haram al-Sharif. There is an IDF checkpoint right outside of the door, reflecting what an intensely sensitive area it is in.

The settlers had forged documents claiming to have purchased the building, but upon review of the Khalidi families’ own documents which show the family has owned the building for at least 160 years, the Court ordered the settlers to leave. There is another hearing set in the coming weeks which will allow the settlers, if they choose, to make their case.

Listen to Rashid Khalidi explain the history of the Khalidi Library, the current situation and its importance, and the ongoing fears of settler takeover in a conversation with FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart on a recent episode of FMEP’s “Occupied Thoughts” podcast.

In a statement, the Khalidi family said:

“Despite this temporary success, there is an ongoing fear of settler violence and the chilling effect of the occupation. Two of the settlers involved have been identified as Eli Attal ad Erez Zaka, the former linked to previous takeovers of Palestinian properties in the old city. After today’s ruling, scores of settlers remain lingering outside the house and on the rooftops filming and occasionally bagining on the doors and windows, posing a threat of breaking and entry and further illegal actions.”

Israel to Advance 6,000+ Settlement Units in East Jerusalem in Coming Weeks

Ir Amim reports that within the next two weeks Israel is planning to advance plans for 6,700 new settlement units in East Jerusalem. Plans to be advanced include:

- Givat Hamatos – plans for 3,500 new units, 1,300 new hotel rooms, five synagogues, and two mikvahs (ritual baths). This plan wouldl double the number of units in the settlement and expand its size by nearly 40%;
- Gilo – two plans for a total of 1,288 new settlement units, expanding hte settlement to the south east, further choking the Palestinian neighborhood of Beit Safafa and severing neighborhoods in southern Jerusalem from the Bethlehem area;
- Ramot – plans for 800 new settlement units.

Details of the plans slated for advancement are reported here by Ir Amim, and will be reported by FMEP in more detail when they are advanced.

Amidst Wave of Violence, Settlers Lead Progrom On Massafer Yatta Region

Palestinian residents in Masafer Yatta, an area of small villages in the South Hebron Hills, have been live streaming the frequent and intensifying terror that Israeli settlers have been inflicting on them for years. The terror peaked to unimaginable levels over the last weeks when, on multiple occasions, armed settlers descended on villages in the area inflicting terror, violence, and intimidation.

Eid Suleman, a prominent activist in Umm al-Khair, told the Associated Press:

“We know what this is. They’re trying to expel us out of here. The military did the dirty job last week and now the settlers are following up.”

Some of the events that have transpired include:

On June 26th, the IDF arrived in Umm al-Khair early in the morning and proceeded to demolish a third of Umm al-Khair’s structures (11 homes), leaving 38 people (30 children) homeless).

On July 1st, armed settlers descended on Umm al-Khair, some dressed as IDF officers, and fired live ammunition toward Palestinians, deployed tear gas, and attacked people with wooden sticks. Israel soldiers and police were nearby but did not intervene.

On July 2nd, settlers were accompanied by Isreali soldiers as the entered the village of Umm al-Khair and built a tent in the center square, where 40 settlers gathered in a sort of celebration. When they eventually left, the settlers cut the water pipes supplying the village and warned of their plans to return the next day.

On July 3rd, settlers descended on the nearby village of Khalled al-Daba’a and set agricultural crops and trees on fire. The settlers then proceeded to march on the homes in the village carrying cans of gasoline and guns.

On July 4th, Palestinian residents reported that 100 settlers attacked the village of Khaled al-Daba, setting fire to fruit trees and shooting live ammunition directly towards Palestinians. Settlers proceeded to beat villages with sticks. Israeli forces arrested one Palestinian.

Settlers then moved to Mufagarah, a nearby village, where they destroyed vehicles and prevented emergency medical workers from reaching Palestinians and internationals in need. Palestinians report several Palestinians and two internationals were injured by the settlers.

On July 7th, the IDF arrested members of the Hureini family – who are all prominent activists in the area – who had called the police to report that settlers had shepherded flocks of sheep onto the Hureini’s land.

The Center for Jewish Nonviolence (which maintains a protective presence in Masafer Yatta and closely allied with the local population there) reports that “the attacks on Umm al-Khair after the demolition on Wednesday are being led by a settler named Shimon Atiya (or Atia), a leader of the nearby illegal outpost, Havat Shorashim (or “Roots Farm” in English). For months, he has been one of countless settlers acting with impunity while wreaking havoc on Palestinian communities across Area C.”

The events in Massafer Yatta bring into stark relief the intensity and persistence of settler terrorism in the West Bank, especially since October 7, 2023. AIDA (Association of International Development Agencies) has recorded 1,000 incidents of settler violence since October 7th.

The outgoing head of the Israeli Army’s Central Command, Yehuda Fuchs, used his farewell speech to criticize Israel policy makers for their failure to deter settler terrorism in the West Bank.

Ariel Settlers Close Access Road to Palestinians

The Mayor of the Ariel settlement has blockaded on the main access road leading to the nearby Palestinian village ofSalfit, boasting about his actions in an Instagram post. In addition to building a blockade of boulders and a welded gate, workers also destroyed parts of the road. The Civil Administration has attempted to remove the blockades and restore use of the road, but each time the settlers have re-constructed the blockade.

The Ariel settlement Mayor, Yair Chetboun, said in the video:

“Security is foremost upon us, upon the city. We trust the IDF, love the IDF, but if the senior levels don’t understand the importance of blockading this route – which led to attacks and enables car theft. We won’t permit such a reality. We are also operating on the political front but also on the ground.”

IDF Demolishes Outposts, Clashes With Settlers

On July 3rd, settlers clashed with Israeli authorities as they attempted to demolish the illegal outpost “Oz Zion B.” Haaretz reports that five settlers were arrested for violence against Israeli Border Police, and four were quickly released without questioning or restrictions. One settler who pepper sprayed an officer was brought to court for a hearing but later released and forbidden from going near the outpost.

The demolition of the outpost was reportedly ok’d by Prime Minister Netanyahu – going over the head of Bezalel Smotrich and the Settlement Administration, which has seized control of building enforcement in the West Bank. The outpost, according to the Shin Bet, was the source of violent terror.

Bonus Reads

“Road to Redemption: How Israel’s War Against Hamas Turned Into a Springboard for Jewish Settlement in Gaza” (Haaretz)
“A look at how settlements have grown in the West Bank over the years” (AP)
“West Bank Annexation and Destabilization in the Shadow of the Israel-Hamas War” (J Street)
“The Status of De Jure West Bank Annexation” (Israel Policy Forum)
“Mounting International Sanctions Against Powerful Israeli Settler Group Could Be Earth-shattering” (Haaretz)
“A warm relationship is being built between Judea, Samaria and America” (JNS)
“Why there is no uprising in the West Bank – yet” (Mondoweiss)
“In His Retirement Speech, Israel’s Top Officer in the West Bank Revealed the Hidden Truth” (Haaretz)
“The Companies Making it Easy to Buy in the West Bank” (The Intercept)

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

To subscribe to this report, please click here.

February 16, 2024

Tenders Issued for Construction in Geva Binyamin and Karnei Shomron Settlements, Bringing 2024 Total to 523 Tenders
Hebron Settler Council Launches Crowdfunding Campaign for U.S.-Sanctioned Settler & His Illegal Outpost
New Outpost Near the Tekoa Settlement
Israel Has Expedited East Jerusalem Settlement Planning & Home Demolitions in Wake of October 7th
Israel to Pay Immigrants $550/Month to Move to Settlements
East Jerusalem Cable Car Project Stalled as Israel Looks for Construction Company
Settler Population Grew By 3% in 2023
B’Tselem Details “Extreme Restrictions” on 2023 Olive Harvest
Peace Now Launches New Settler Violence Hotline
Israel to Buy 200 Armored Vehicles for Civilan Standby Units, Including in Settlements
Israel Spying on U.S.-PA Settler Violence Channel
News & Analysis of Sanctions on Settlers
Bonus Reads

Tenders Issued for Construction in Geva Binyamin and Karnei Shomron Settlements, Bringing 2024 Total to 523 Tenders

Peace Now reports the Israeli Ministry of Housing published tenders on February 9th for the construction of 60 new settlement units, 12 new units in the Geva Binyamin settlement and 48 in the Karnei Shomron settlement, located in the northern West Bank, east of the Palestinian village of Qalqilya. Israel has openly declared its intention to continue expanding settlements in this area with the stated goal of bringing 1 million settlers to live in the area.

These tenders come just five days after the publication of tenders for 62 new units in the Efrat settlement.

So far in 2024, the Israeli government has issued tenders for the construction of 523 new settlement units in a total of eight settlements.

Peace Now said in a statement:

“The rapid pace and widespread scope of tender publications indicate a clear policy aimed at promoting extensive construction in the West Bank. The Israeli government is capitalizing on the international focus on the Gaza Strip to further entrench Israeli control deep in Palestinian territory, hindering the possibility of a two-state solution.”

Hebron Settler Council Launches Crowdfunding Campaign for U.S.-Sanctioned Settler & His Illegal Outpost

Peace Now reports that the settler municipal body in Hebron (the Har Hevron Regional Council) has launched a crowdfunding campaign to assist Yinon Levy and the illegal outpost he established (“Meitarim Farm”). The campaign was launched in response to the U.S. sanctioning Levy, who is purported to have engaged in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank that lead to the forcible displacement of four nearby Palestinians communities (approximately 300 people).

Peace Now makes the important point:

“The settlers on whom sanctions were imposed are not the story. Behind every violent settler lies an entire governmental system that supports and funds them. Settler violence is not an isolated incident but rather a part of an organized and financed strategy by the authorities to dispossess Palestinians of their lands in the Occupied Territories, and to undermine any potential political solution.”

Proving that point, the Har Hevron Regional Council’s commitment to Levy and his illegal outpost runs deep. In 2021 a coporation owned by the the municipality awarded Levy a contract to establish the outpost as an agricultural farm and to explicitly take control of the whole area. The contract states [emphasis added]:

“The Directorate wants the farmer to establish an agricultural farm … that will maintain a presence in the lands of the area and thus help to preserve the state’s lands and the seizure and preservation of the surrounding lands … The farmer will establish on the farm… a corral for the herd and housing residences near it and necessary additional facilities.”

New Outpost Near the Tekoa Settlement

Haaretz reports that settlers have undertaken a large-scale project to establish a new outpost near the Tekoa settlement, located south of Bethlehem. Photos of the outpost show that the land has been cleared, roads established, and power lines have been installed. A total of six trailers have been moved to the site already. A Defense source told Haaretz that it is “doubtful that the government will evacuate the outpost, which was built on state-controlled land.”

Israel Has Expedited East Jerusalem Settlement Planning & Home Demolitions in Wake of October 7th

Ir Amim and Bimkom jointly report that Israel has led a “stark rise” in home demolitions in EAst Jerusalem since October 7th and the start of Israel’s latest war on Gaza. The groups write:

“As the war rages on in Gaza, claiming the lives of tens of thousands of Palestinians and displacing nearly two million, Israel adds to the conflagration by accelerating demolitions across East Jerusalem. The recent home demolitions in al-Walaja are part of a major surge in demolitions in East Jerusalem since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, which has likewise profoundly impacted the community of Al Bustan, Silwan. Yesterday, the home of community leader and well-known activist, Fakhri Abu Diab, was demolished despite ongoing negotiations with the Jerusalem municipality and strong international outcry. Some 100 homes in Al Bustan are at risk of mass demolition with over 1500 Palestinians under threat of displacement due to Israeli plans to establish an Israeli tourist and archaeological park in the area

Since October 7, there has been a total of 94 demolitions in East Jerusalem, 63 of which were homes. This marks a nearly 70% increase in demolitions compared to the months preceding the war. Moreover, expected changes in the government ministry responsible for the National Enforcement Unit are likely to cause an even more dramatic rise in demolitions. According to recent news reports, on Sunday, the government is slated to approve the transfer of the National Enforcement Unit from the Ministry of Finance to the Ministry of National Security, placing it under the direct authority of ultranationalist and far-right Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. The transfer of the unit was included in coalition agreements during the formation of the government last year. Over the past year, Ben Gvir has made numerous statements calling for the intensification of demolitions. Such a move is cause for extreme alarm and will directly impact areas of East Jerusalem, including al-Walaja.”

While home demolitions are surging, so too are the advancement of settlement plans. Haaretz has fresh reporting on how Israel is expediting plans to build new settlements across Jerusalem, including Nofei Rachel, Givat HaShaked, Umm Lysoon, and Kidmat Zion. The article surveys the planning processes advancing these plans, including the secret land registration and settler interests involved.

Israel to Pay Immigrants $550/Month to Live in Settlements

The Israeli government announced plans to offer heightened financial incentives to new immigrants who settle in the West Bank, along with areas in the country’s northern and southern peripheries. The plan estimates a $19 million cost to provide $550/month for two years to new immigrants choosing to live in settlements or in the periphery areas, as compared to $100-$200/month for new immigrants living in central Israel or Haifa. These funds are dedicated to subsidizing housing costs.

The plan was announced on February 15th at a joint press conference held by Immigration and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer and Finance Minister Smotrich, who holds immense power in the West Bank in his role as a minister in the Defense Ministry with virtually unchecked authority of Area C civilian matters.

East Jerusalem Cable Car Project Stalled As Israel Looks for Construction Company

Haaretz reports that the Israeli government has struggled for 8 months to secure a qualified (and therefore foreign) construction company to build the settler-backed cable car project. Several companies have pulled out of consideration due to the political sensitivities invovled.

As a reminder, the Jerusalem cable car project is an initiative backed by the powerful, state-backed Elad settler group and advanced by the Israeli Tourism Ministry.

Emek Shaveh and other non-governmental organizations, including Who Profits and Terrestrial Jerusalem, have repeatedly challenged (and provided evidence discrediting) the government’s contention that the cable car will serve a legitimate transportation need in Jerusalem, and have clearly enumerated the obvious political drivers behind the plan, the archeological heresies it validates, and the severe negative impacts the cable car project will have on Palestinian residents of Silwan.

Despite lacking a qualified construction firm, Israel has already proceeded to issue 17 orders confiscating privately owned Palestinian land in highly sensitive East Jerusalem neighborhoods to prepare for the construction of the cable car line. Attorney Sami Arshid, who represents the Palestinian residents of Silwan, told Haaretz:

“This is the most unnecessary project in the history of the city. The residents of Silwan and the Old City, like most experts in Israel and around the world, see it as a serious hazard to the city’s urban heritage. The expropriation of properties and homes will cause severe harm to the residents and this in order to establish a megalomaniacal project that harms the history, urban heritage and landscape of the Old City of Jerusalem and its environs.”

Emek Shaveh told Jerusalem:

“The cable car is a political project that lacks feasibility and professional justification. Its goal is to strengthen [Jewish] settlement in Silwan and bring tourists to sites run by Elad. A year and a half after the High Court of Justice rejected petitions against the project, a tender has yet to be published, and now it turns out that even commercial companies whose sole purpose is to make money understand that they are better off staying away from this project. At a time when the State of Israel is facing huge deficits, we say frankly that this is a harmful and superfluous project that should be scrapped, the sooner, the better.”

Settler Population Grew By 3% in 2023

A pro-settler organization released data showing that the West Bank settler population increased by nearly 3% in 2023 (not including East Jerusalem). The population now stands at 517,407.

The report also forecasts “excellerated growth” in the aftermath of October 7th, claiming that “Serious cracks have indeed developed in the wall of opposition to Jewish settlement of the West Bank.”

B’Tselem Details “Extreme Restrictions” on 2023 Olive Harvest

In a new report, B’Tselem asserts that Israeli policies restricting the ability of Palestinians to harvest olive trees in the 2023 harvest season has resulted in financial harm to tens of thousands of Palestinian families. Those policies include canceling the allocation of harvest days to farmers whose land falls in Area C (access to which is regulated by the IDF), the closure of gates in the separation barrier that permit Palestinians to access their land in the “seam zone” (the IDF is solely able to open theses gates), and – of course – unmitigated settler violence.

B’Tselem writes:

“The systemic obstruction of the olive harvest this year, augmented by organized settler violence against harvesters and their property, is not unique to this time of war. It is part of Israel’s longstanding violent policy, which aims to cement the apartheid regime in the West Bank and allow continued expansion of settlements. Bezalel Smotrich, who serves as Minister of Finance and Minister in the Ministry of Defense, and MK Tzvi Sukkot, Chair of the Knesset Subcommittee on Judea and Samaria Affairs, have already said “sterile security spaces” should be created near settlements, where Palestinians would be denied entry altogether. This would clear the way for the state to take over this land and use it for its own purposes. “

Peace Now Launches New Settler Violence Hotline

Peace Now and Looking Occupation in the Eye have launched a dedicated hotline for Palestinians to report instances of settler violence. The groups reported the new initiative to the U.S. and other governments who have recently issued sanctions against four Israeli settlers believed to have participated in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. A graphic urging people to report instances of violence says, “we will make sure it gets to the right people in the right places.”

Peace Now said in a statement:

“The state is not doing enough against an organized and dangerous attempt to turn the West Bank into a third front. This unequivocally constitutes terrorism and undermines our national interests, yet it is no longer condemned by the Israeli government. We must change the rules and exert all possible pressure. The lawlessness has ended, and those who harm will pay dearly. We will convey the reports to Israel’s friends and allies worldwide.”

Looking the Occupation in the Eye said in a statement:

“For years, we have been active in the occupied territories and have been dealing with terrorism by settlers, complaining to law enforcement authorities but receiving no response. Since October 7th, Jewish lawbreakers have been doing as they please throughout the West Bank, and no one stops them. Like in third-world countries – when a state does not deal with terrorism itself, the big brother across the ocean does it for them. Let’s help stop the process of turning us into a failed, disintegrating, and lawless state.”

Over the past week, many instances of settler violence have been reported on X and in the media. A small sampling includes:

Settlers from Yitzhar (including the head of security and several wearing IDF uniforms) perpetrated several attacks on February 12th. The IDF was later deployed to the area but no arrests have been made.
- Fifteen settlers were filmed attacking Palestinian property in the village of Asira al-Qibliya on February 12th. Settlers set cars on fire, threw stones, and shooting a Palestinians. Three were injured.
- Settlers were filmed attacking Palestinian property in the village of Madama on February 12th. This followed settlers harassing a farmer and shooting at a tractor.
- Another group of Yitzhar settlers raided the village of Huwara and set cars on fire there.
On February 11th, 15 settlers were documented throwing rocks and tear gassed at Palestinians near the Bazariya junction. A similar event happened last week as well.

Israel to Buy 200 Armored Vehicles for Civilian Standby Units, Including in Settlements

The JNS reports the Israel Defense Ministry has approved the purchase of more than 200 armored vehicles for civilian “standby units” – including the units based in settlements, the Gaza envelope, and on the Lebanon border. The vehicles will be delivered in the coming months.

Speaking about the purchase, the deputy director of the Defense Ministry said:

“Ordering the security vehicles is another step in the large-scale procurement we are undertaking for the standby squads, which also includes weapons and protective equipment.”

Israel Spying on U.S.-PA Settler Violence Channel

+972 Magazine published a report citing Israeli intelligence sources admitting that Israel is actively spying on reports on settler violence from the the Palestinian Authority to the the Office of U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority (USSC), with the aim of preventing that information from “developing into sanctions.” A source told +972 that “the Israelis are finding themselves embarrassed. The fact that we are being asked to look for the materials indicates that Israel has no good answers.” The source also said, “we’re working to help refute these allegations, or prevent them from developing into sanctions. The political echelon is concerned that all kinds of international moves will be taken that will force Israel to deal with this issue.”

News & Analysis of Sanctions on Settlers

There was an absolute torrent of news and analysis regarding the U.S. sanctions against four Israeli settlers, which the U.K. and France have replicated.

News/Reporting

“Scoop: Bibi protests to Biden, criticizes order targeting Israeli settler violence” (Axios)
“US could target Israel’s Ben-Gvir, Smotrich in latest sanctions” (The Jerusalem Post)
“Israel Fears Additional Western Countries Will Follow Suit in Sanctioning Violent West Bank Settlers” (Haaretz)
“Biden urged to include politicians in sanctions on violent Israeli settlers” (The Guardian)
“France leads EU in sanctioning violent Israeli settlers” (Al-Monitor)
“France follows UK, U.S. adopting sanctions against 28 ‘violent Israeli settlers’” (i24 News)

Key Analysis

“Explaining Targeted U.S. Sanctions Under the West Bank Executive Order” (Human Rights First)
“Palestinians see little solace in Western sanctions against some settlers” (Reuters)
“Israeli settlements stand in the way of peace. Biden can defund them all” (Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man in The Guardian)
“Next U.S. Sanctions May Target More Than Just ‘Rogue Elements,’ and Israel Only Has Itself to Blame” (Zvia Bar’el in Haaretz)
“Biden’s sanctions set ominous precedent for the settlement enterprise” (Shuki Friedman in The Jerusalem Post)
“The Sleight of Hand in Dismissing Settler Violence” (Michael Koplow for the Israel Policy Forum)

Bonus Reads

“Israel’s Crackdown on Hebron” (Jewish Currents)
“Meet the Israelis Who Are Trying to Physically Block the Ethnic Cleansing Unfolding in the West Bank” (Haaretz)
“The special unit recruiting hilltop youth” (Israel Hayom)
“Blinken demands investigation into reported killings of U.S. citizens in West Bank” (Washington Post)
“US investigators visit homes of two Palestinian-American teens killed in the West Bank” (AP)
“A Fanatical Israeli Settlement Is Funded by New York Suburbanites” (New Lines)

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

To subscribe to this report, please click here.

July 14, 2023

Settlers Move In After Israel Forcibly Evicts Ghaith-Sub Laban Family
Israel Starts Planning New East Jerusalem Settlement Enclave Via Weaponization of the Land Registration Process
Settlers Takeover Another Palestinian Home on Shuhada Street in Hebron, Potentially with IDF Help
Settlers Lead State-Backed Archaeological “Excavation” in Area B
Government Admits it Deliberately Permitted Illegal Construction at Homesh Outpost
Bonus Reads

Settlers Move In After Israel Forcibly Evicts Ghaith-Sub Laban Family

On the early morning of July 11th, a large contingent of Israeli police arrived at the home of Nora Ghaith and Mustafa Sub Laban to forcibly remove the elderly couple from their apartment in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. The apartment was handed over to settlers, who moved in as soon as the Ghaith-Sub Labans were removed.

Twelve human rights activists were arrested by Israeli police during protests held in solidarity with the Gaith-Sub Laban family. The eviction was widely panned by the international community.

The Ghaith-Sub Laban family has spent more than 45 years in a legal battle against settlers (and the State) over their home in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. This family’s story is not unique, and the broader, systemic processes behind the forcible dispossession of Palestinians in Jerusalem is also discussed. In March 2023, FMEP hosted Rafat Sub Laban and Ir Amim’s Amy Cohen on a podcast – “‘We Are Determined to Stay”: One Palestinian Family’s Story of Dispossession in Jerusalem” – to discuss the Sub Laban case and how it relates to broader State-back settler efforts to dispossess Palestinians across Jerusalem.

Ir Amim explains the Israeli legal system which aids settlers in taking possession of Palestinian properties across East Jerusalem, including the Sub Laban home:

“… lawsuits were filed by settler groups on the basis of the 1970 Legal and Administrative Matters law. This discriminatory law exclusively affords Jews with land restitution rights for assets allegedly owned by Jews in East Jerusalem prior to 1948 despite many of these properties now inhabited by Palestinian refugees. No parallel legal mechanism exists for Palestinians to recover pre-1948 assets on the Israeli side of the Green Line now inhabited by Jews. To the contrary, the 1950 Absentee Property Law enshrines that Palestinians who were forced to abandon their homes in what became Israel due to the war of 1948 cannot retrieve them.

Settler organizations aided by state bodies act to secure ownership rights of these assets through various means despite having no relation to the previous Jewish owners or occupants. Acquisition of these rights provides settler groups with the legal platform to then “retrieve” the property from the General Custodian and initiate eviction lawsuits against Palestinian families through application of the 1970 law.

A department within the Ministry of Justice, the General Custodian is the Israeli body responsible for managing pre-1948 Jewish assets in East Jerusalem until “reclaimed.” It should be noted that the General Custodian has become one of the leading state institutions who works in cooperation with settler groups to facilitate evictions of Palestinians and seizure of their homes in East Jerusalem. Many of the families facing eviction are Palestinian refugees who lost homes on the Israeli side of the Green Line in 1948 and now stand to be displaced for a second or even third time.”

For a comprehensive overview of the Sub Laban family’s legal battle, as well as other East Jerusalem eviction cases, please see Ir Amim’s report.

Israel Starts Planning New East Jerusalem Settlement Enclave Via Weaponization of the Land Registration Process

Ir Amim and Bimkom report that Israel has initiated the planning process on a new settlement enclave in the Umm Lysoon neighborhood in East Jerusalem, and in order to facilitate the new enclave the State is simultaneously carrying out land registration for the land where the enclave will be built. The plans for the settlement enclave call for the construction of 450 settlement units, on an open piece of land between Umm Lysoon and the adjacent neighborhood of Jabal Mukkhaber, one of the only open land reserves in the area where Palestinians face a severe housing Crisis. Unsurprisingly, some of the same settlers who are pushing the Umm Lysoon plan not only live in Jabal Al-Mukaver, but have already succeeded in massively expanding the Nof Zion/Nof Zahaf settler enclave in that neighborhood.

The plan for the new Umm Lysoon enclave hinges on the settlers’ work with the State to transfer ownership of the land into the hands of settlers using the land registration process – – which Ir Amim and Bimkom have shown to be a politically-driven tool used by the State to fuel the expansion of settlements across the city.

The land where the new enclave is being planned for has been managed by the Israeli Custodian General, the State body which acts as a caretaker for property abandoned by Israeli Jews as a result of the 1948 war, with the idea that the property will be returned to its original owners. Settlers have worked with the state to secure ownership rights to East Jerusalem land despite having no relation to the previous Jewish owners. Such is the case with the Umm Lysoon land, where the Israeli Custodian General is submitting the plans (even though it does not own the land, just manages it) for the new enclave alongside Topodia LTD, a settler-linked construction company. Topodia managed to acquire ownership of a very small percentage of the land within the enclaves planned borders, but the planning requires the willing participation of the Israeli Custodian General.

The plan for Umm Lysoon is the third settlement plan in the last 1.5 years that has been promoted not only on lands managed by the General Custodian, but also with its direct involvement – the others being the Givat HaShaked and Kidmat Zion settlement plans.

Ir Amim and Bimkom write:

“If constructed, it would constitute a major settlement within the heart of Umm Lysoon, which until now has remained untouched from the threat of setter presence or encroachment. As with other East Jerusalem neighborhoods, Umm Lysoon continues to suffer from a severe shortage in housing, public buildings, infrastructure, and basic services. Instead of promoting residential development and urban planning to meet the needs of local residents, the plan is rather being advanced to establish a new Jewish settlement inside a Palestinian neighborhood on land marked in policy documents for the community’s development.”

Settlers Takeover Another Palestinian Home on Shuhada Street in Hebron, Potentially with IDF Help

Peace Now reports that settlers have illegally moved into a Palestinian-owned property in the heart of Hebron on Shuhada Street, just south of the Cave of the Patriarchs, in an area of downtown Hebron where no other Israeli settlers live. The settlers appear to have accessed the home, which until recently was blockaded by concrete barriers, with the assistance of the IDF and further claim to have purchased the home. This location – and the alleged purchase of the home – is hugely significant both on the ground and in the Israeli government’s brazen support facilitation of settlement expansion, as explained by Peace Now:

“Hebron is perhaps the most scattered city in the West Bank. Any change in ownership of a store, courtyard, and especially a structure means establishing a new settlement in the city. Many houses and properties in the part of the city controlled by Israel have remained vacant and abandoned over the past decades and serve as a target for settlers’ takeover. Until recently, approvals for the settlement of new houses by the settlers required the approval of the Minister of Defense and the Prime Minister. As part of the transfer of civilian authority to Bezalel Smotrich, it was decided that in Hebron, the approval of settlement would be in the hands of Smotrich in coordination with Minister Yoav Gallant. The settlers’ entry into the house openly indicates that both ministers agreed to establish the new settlement. The new settlement is located on Shuhada Street (the settlers changed its name to King David Street), between the Pool of Siloam and the neighborhood of Avraham Avinu. This is an area populated by Palestinians and far from the existing settlements in the city. The new settlement is, in fact, an entry into a new area in the city.”

Years ago, the IDF installed concrete barriers preventing anyone from accessing the house, and evicted settlers from the home last year when they used a ladder to climb over the barriers. Those concrete barriers were recently removed (which can only be done with heavy equipment), suggesting that the IDF is planed to allow the settlers to enter (and likely remain) in the house.

The home is owned by the Palestinian Jariwi family, which petitioned the Israeli High Court of Justice to evict the settlers. The state initially responded to the petition saying that the settlers had already been evicted (clearly not true), and the State is now facing a July 30th deadline with the Court to submit an updated response given that the settlers are still squatting in the house illegally.

Photo of the new enclave found at: https://peacenow.org.il/en/a-new-settlement-was-established-in-hebron-with-the-return-of-settlers-to-a-house-that-the-idf-evicted-a-year-ago

Settlers Lead State-Backed Archaeological “Excavation” in Area B

Emek Shaveh reports that a triad composed of settlers, an American Christian evangelical organization, and the Israeli army collaborated on a recent unlicensed excavation on Mount Ebal – located north of Nablus near the Palestinian town of a-Sira al-Shaliya in Area B of the West Bank (where Israel does not have civilian authorities, according to the Oslo Accords). The excavation was approved by the Israeli Civil Administration under pressure from settlers, but given the location of the site in Area B and the lack of any license to carry out the excavation – Emek Shaveh states that this could be considered antiquity theft.

The groups transferred some 80 cubic meters of soil from Mount Ebal to the Shavei Shomron settlement, where settlers then promoted an opportunity for members of the public to join the archaeologists in sifting through the materials (thereby promoting tourism to the settlements). Haaretz called the excavation “is mainly used as a tourist attraction to the West Bank and is of little scientific significance.”

Emek Shaveh’s explained the significance of what is happening on Mount Ebal:

“The archaeological site at Mount Ebal is becoming a watershed in Israeli archaeology. The activity on the site has turned from a pirate operation led by a group of Messianic Jews and Christians into a state sponsored operation under the auspices of the Civil Administration led by Minister Bezalel Smotrich.This is yet another violation of the Oslo Accords and suspected violation of domestic and international law that is whitewashed by Israeli authorities and intended to serve as a method for advancing the annexation of the West Bank to Israel.In addition to the alleged violation of the law, the excavation constitutes an ethical failure by the entire archaeological community in Israel whose silence continues to grant legitimacy to such projects. A comprehensive and immediate investigation is required by all the relevant parties as well as independently by the Israeli Archaeological Association.”

Government Admits it Deliberately Permitted Illegal Construction at Homesh Outpost

In response to a petition submitted by Yesh Din, the Israel state formally confirmed reports Defense Minister Yoav Gallant ordered the Israeli army to stand down when it arrived in May 2023 to stop settlers’ attempt to relocated the Homesh outpost onto a small sliver of “state land” in the area of the former Homesh settlement in the northern West Bank. Gallant’s intervention only served to confirm the unapologetic determination of the Israeli government to reestablish the Homesh settlement on the “state land,” despite the fact that the land is surrounded by privately owned Palestinian property belonging to the nearby village of Burqa. (spoiler: In 2018, Israel established basis in its legal books for violating the private property rights of Palestinians in order to build an access road to the Haresha outpost).

In the weeks since settlers were permitted to illegally move into the area, the outpost has been connected to the state water grid.

On July 7th, a group of ~400 Israeli, Palestinian, and international activists attended a Peace Now protest march intended to start in Burqa and end at the Homesh outpost, in an effort to call on the government of Israel to stop the establishment of a settlement there. Though the marchers had requested and received a permit to hold the march, the IDF used force to stop the march from approaching Burqa. One marcher was detained and later released.

As a reminder – the legalization of Homesh was explicitly agreed to in the coalition deals which formed the current Israeli government. And despite the message to the U.S. behind closed doors, Israeli lawmakers and settler leaders hailed the Israeli government’s moves on Homesh as concrete steps toward the realization of this commitment. Otzma Yehudit MK and settlement activist Limor Son Har Melech hailed the news and said that the real goal is to reestablish all four settlements located near the Homesh outpost which were dismantled by the Israeli government in 2005 (the order issued by the IDF Commander on May 18th that allows Israelis to enter to the Homesh area did not extend to the areas of the other three settlements – Sa-Nur, Ganim, and Kadim).

Bonus Reads

“Four Palestinians said wounded in settler attack in West Bank” (The Times of Israel)
“Smotrich wants one million West Bank settlers. That’s not so far-fetched” (+972 Magazine)
“Senate Foreign Relations Committee set for debate over Biden guidance on Israeli cooperative funding” (Jewish Insider)
“Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory – Weekly Update: 06-12 July 2023” (PCHR)

ANNEXATION

EAST JERUSALEM

WEST BANK

GAZA

SETTLER TERRORISM

Israel Advances Plans for 1,276 New Settlement Units

Israel Tells PA It Will Act Unilaterally on Al-Ibrahimi Mosque/Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron

Escalating Attacks, Violence, Dispossession and Takeover in Ramallah Area

U.S. Secretary of State Attends Settler Archaeology Event in Silwan

Bonus Reads

Netanyahu Signs Final Approval of E-1, Celebrates End of Palestinian State

Netanyahu Delays Discussion of Plan to Annex the Jordan Valley

‘Formalizing Apartheid’: Smotrich Presents Plan to Annex 82% of the West Bank

State Land Declaration to Legalize Havat Gilad Outpost

Settlers Establish New Enclave on Key Hebron Street (Currently) Open to Palestinians

West Bank News & Analysis

East Jerusalem News & Analysis

Bonus Reads

E-1 Settlement is Fully Approved

Settlers Take Over Land, Establish New Enclave n Hebron’s H-1

Settler Terrorism & Ongoing Mass Displacement in the West Bank

Bonus Reads

Knesset Votes for West Bank Annexation

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

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

Another Bedouin Community Displaced in Jordan Valley By Unabated Settler Terrorism

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

Bonus Reads

End of Year Rush: High Planning Council Set to Meet Twice to Advance Settlement Plans

Settlers Violently Storm Palestinian Towns After Outpost Evacuation

Israel Gives Settler Power Over Palestinian Property in East Jerusalem

Settlement Construction Group is Working in North Gaza, As Israeli Govt Officials Meet with Gaza Settlement Activists

Emek Shaveh Challenges Development of Sebastia

Recapping Knesset Debate on Annexation via Archaeology

Settlers Set Operational Plan for Trump Administration

Don’t Miss: New Reports from B’Tselem & Yesh Din

Historic ICJ Advisory Opinion Says Israel’s Occupation is Illegal, Calls for Settlements to be Dismantled

Israel Grants Itself Civilian Control of An Additional 3% of West Bank Land

Settlers Enter Abu Nab House in Batan al-Hawa, Silwan As Shehadeh Family Faces 20-Day Eviction Notice

Palestinians Blast IDF Closure of Courtyard in Ibrahimi Mosque Complex

New Outpost Established East of Ramallah

European Union Issues New Sanctions on Israeli Settlers, Orgs, and Outposts

U.S. Sanctions Two More Individuals, Including First Military Target

Further Reading on Silwan, Masafer Yatta & More

Bonus Reads

A Stunning, Expansive Time for Israel’s West Bank Annexation

Civil Admin Seizes Patchwork of Plots as “State Land” in Order to Legalize the Evyatar Outpost

Government Establishes Jurisdiction for New Settlement on World Heritage Site Near Bethlehem

Settlers Takeover New Building in Hebron

Historic Year for Land Grabs: Israel Seizes Over 3,000 Acres in the Jordan Valley as “State Land”

Civil Admin Advances Plans to Legalize Three Outposts & Build 5k New Units Across West Bank

Israeli Cabinet Gives Civil Admin Authority Over Antiquity Sites in Area B

Israeli Cabinet Supports Knesset Considers Bill to Transfer West Bank Antiquities Control from Civil Admin to Domestic Body

U.S. Issues New Round of Sanctions Against Settlers & Settler Organizations

Israeli Court Orders 11 Families Out of Homes in Batan al-Hawa, Silwan

Israeli Court Rules to Demolish Wadi Hilweh Info Center in Silwan

Israeli Court Tells Settlers To Leave Khalidi Library in Old City of Jerusalem

Israel to Advance 6,000+ Settlement Units in East Jerusalem in Coming Weeks

Amidst Wave of Violence, Settlers Lead Progrom On Massafer Yatta Region

Ariel Settlers Close Access Road to Palestinians

IDF Demolishes Outposts, Clashes With Settlers

Bonus Reads

Tenders Issued for Construction in Geva Binyamin and Karnei Shomron Settlements, Bringing 2024 Total to 523 Tenders

Hebron Settler Council Launches Crowdfunding Campaign for U.S.-Sanctioned Settler & His Illegal Outpost

New Outpost Near the Tekoa Settlement

Israel Has Expedited East Jerusalem Settlement Planning & Home Demolitions in Wake of October 7th

Israel to Pay Immigrants $550/Month to Live in Settlements

East Jerusalem Cable Car Project Stalled As Israel Looks for Construction Company

Settler Population Grew By 3% in 2023

B’Tselem Details “Extreme Restrictions” on 2023 Olive Harvest

Peace Now Launches New Settler Violence Hotline

Israel to Buy 200 Armored Vehicles for Civilian Standby Units, Including in Settlements

Israel Spying on U.S.-PA Settler Violence Channel

News & Analysis of Sanctions on Settlers

Bonus Reads

Settlers Move In After Israel Forcibly Evicts Ghaith-Sub Laban Family

Israel Starts Planning New East Jerusalem Settlement Enclave Via Weaponization of the Land Registration Process

Settlers Takeover Another Palestinian Home on Shuhada Street in Hebron, Potentially with IDF Help

Settlers Lead State-Backed Archaeological “Excavation” in Area B

Government Admits it Deliberately Permitted Illegal Construction at Homesh Outpost