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

February 27, 2026

1. ANNEXATION: U.S. Offers Consular Services in Settlement, More
2. WEST BANK SETTLEMENTS & OUTPOSTS: Smotrich to “Relocate” Seam Zone Village, New Bypass Road, Outpost Rebuilt Near Mukhmas, Eliyahu Raises Israeli Flag on Jordan Valley Peak, New Outpost Phenomenon Near Barrier, More
3. SETTLER & STATE TERRORISM: Firey Attack on Masafer Yatta, More

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ANNEXATION 

In First – US To Offer Consular Services in Settlement

The United States Embassy in Jerusalem announced that it will be hosting one-day consular services inside of the Efrat settlement – marking the first time the U.S. will conduct official consular services in a settlement. The announcement further promised to schedule consular services in the Beitar Illit settlement in the coming months.The move is a significant show of support for Israel’s sovereignty over the settlements which under international law are illegal civilian settlements inside of an occupied territory. The move is tantamount to recognizing Israel’s annexation of West Bank land. A U.S. Embassy spokesperson told the New York Times that the policy of the government vis a vis settlements has not changed.

Israeli annexationists praised the announcement. MK Yuli Edelstein, former Speaker of the Knesset, called it ““a blessed step of tremendous importance” and said the move:

“adds to the international legitimacy of our right to the regions of our homeland in Judea and Samaria.”

Israeli human rights lawyer Michael Sfard said:

“This cannot be construed in any way other than as a political statement of legitimization of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.”

News & Analysis on Annexation

1. “Smotrich: Jerusalem will ‘never’ cede control of Judea and Samaria” (JNS, 2/24/2026)
2. “4 Questions for an Expert: Israel’s De Facto Annexation of the West Bank” (IMEU, 2/25/2026)
3. “Israel’s Perfect Storm: The West Bank Has Been Sacrificed for Trump’s Gaza Plan” (Haaretz, 2/23/2026) Hagar Shezaf writes: “Anyone with eyes knows it’s foolish to think that the annexation of the West Bank will happen through a declaration. The government’s actions are making annexation a reality, and it’s happening now, out in the open.”

WEST BANK

Smotrich, Katz Advancing Plan to Relocate – AKA Ethnically Cleanse – Palestinian Village in Seam Zone

The Israeli government informed the High Court that it is advancing a long-stalled plan to “relocate” 430 residents of the Palestinian village of Arab al-Ramadin al-Junabi, a village which has lived on its land since the 1950s. The government argues the relocation plan is in the best interest of the community, which due to its location in the so-called “Seam Zone” (in the West Bank but on the Israeli side of the Separation Barrier which was built by Israel in 2002),  is cut off from receiving infrastructure services from the PA and remains unserviced by Israel. Now, the village is trapped in poverty and lacking approved planning guides, though the village has worked with planning professionals at Bimkom to advance a Master Plan which Israel has rejected. Israel – which has created this situation to coerce its residents to leave – is now using it as a weapon against Arab al-Ramadin al-Junabi to carry out a court-approved ethnic cleansing.

New Settler Bypass Road Expands Apartheid Road Matrix

Peace Now reports that Israel has kicked off construction on a new settler-only bypass road – known as the Road 45 of the “Quarries Road” – that will connect settlements east and north of Ramallah more seamlessly to the Qalandiya Underpass and on to East Jerusalem, avoiding Palestinians, security checks at the Qalandiya checkpoint, and the constant traffic near the Hizma checkpoint. Beyond providing settlers a Palestinian-free path to Jerusalem, the road also creates more capacity for settlement growth in these areas.

Peace Now said in a statement:

“Peace Now: While roads inside Israel are collapsing and unable to cope with the traffic load, the government is pouring enormous budgets into a small minority of settlers in grandiose projects that Israel will ultimately be forced to evacuate. The belief that bypass roads around Palestinian villages will erase the political, diplomatic, and security problem known as the settlement enterprise is a dangerous, costly, and violent illusion. The theft of hundreds of dunams for expensive roads that serve so few, only highlights the injustice and absurdity of government policy. Israel does not need more roads that bypass Palestinians, but rather ways to reach a political solution with them.”

Settlers Rebuild Outpost Near Mukhmas

The Times of Israel reports settlers rebuilt an illegal outpost near the village of Mukhmas, which has been violently and repeatedly terrorized by settlers (under IDF supervision) recently resulting in the murder of a 19-year old Palestinian American just last week. The outpost, called “Kol Mevaser,” is located in Area B of the West Bank, underscoring the total erosion of the Oslo framework. Though the IDF has repeatedly dismantled the outpost, settlers still manage to bring in heavy construction equipment to rebuild.

Prominent Israeli activist and settlement watchdog Rabbi Arik Ascheman notes that, in the area near to Kol Mevaser outpost, the “mother outpost” Nakhalat Tzvi continues to expand illegally.

Heritage Minister Raises Israeli Flag on Mount Sartaba

Israeli Heritage Minister Eliyahu raised an Israeli flag on the peak of Mount Sartaba, located  in the Jordan Valley, saying it is “a symbolic step showing Israel “reoccupying” the West Bank and vowing to use it for religious observance.” Eliyahu said the act was part of a series of similar symbolic acts planned for across the West Bank. 

Mount Sartaba is also known as Alexandrium – the site of the ancient Hasmonean fortress.

New Outpost Strategy Takes Advantage of Israeli Military Zones Near Barrier

Kerem Navot reports the emerging phenomenon of new outposts built along the Israeli security road that trods along the path of the West Bank separation barrier. There are currently 11 such outposts, accessible only via the Israeli security road not meant for civilian use.

Kerem Navot founder Dror Etkes told Haaretz, 

“The establishment of a chain of illegal outposts along the barrier fence route, and the fact that large segments of the barrier route have become access roads to these outposts, indicate that since Avi Bluth became commander of the Central Command, the outposts project has transformed from one that takes place under the protection and with the cooperation of the military into an illegal project in which the military is directly involved, even financing part of it.”

Israel Systematically Denying Building Permits to Palestinians Living in Area C

Amira Haas reports for Haaretz ton the multifold mechanisms by which Israel has advanced its total control over the West Bank, expanded settlements, and displaced Palestinians. One such mechanism is systematic denial of building permits and subsequent demolitions of Palestinian homes. Haas reports that between 2009 and 2020 Israel:

• Issued building permits for 66 Palestinian buildings in Area C
• Issued building permits for 22,000 settlement units.

Haas continues:

“With construction permits effectively barred, thousands of Palestinian structures have been demolished—including 2,461 over the past two years alone—displacing about 2,500 people, data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs show. Israel’s security cabinet recently approved wide-ranging steps aimed at deepening Israeli control in the occupied West Bank and enabling further growth of settlements.”

More News & Analysis from the West Bank

1. “In Area C, Faster Demolitions Clear the Way for Jewish Expansion” (Haaretz, 2/23/2026)
2. “2025 was record year for settlement expansion, construction and planning, NGO finds” (The Times of Israel, 2/25/2026)
3. [Reported on last week] “’We Won’t Wait for Approval’ Israeli Settlers Declare New West Bank Settlement Deep Inside Palestinian Hebron” (Haaretz, 12/22/2026)

SETTLER TERRORISM

Pogrom in Masafer Yatta, South Hebron Hills

In a nighttime attack on February 24th, a group of at least 20 settlers were caught on film setting fire to several homes and vehicles in the village of Susya, located in the Masafer Yatta region of the South Hebron Hills. There were reportedly children inside one of the homes set on fire. The settlers also wielded sticks and damaged property and spray painted hateful graffiti. Four people were treated for smoke inhalation by the Palestinian Red Crescent.

On the same night, Palestinian residents of villages close to Susya reported settlers had also carried out smaller scale violent attacks and let out heads of livestock.  

More Reports of Settler Attacks

In addition to the attack on Masafer Yatta, settler attacks over the past week include:

• Tell: On Feb 23rd, settlers set a mosque on fire and spray painted “Revenge” and “Price Tag.”. Tell is located near Nablus in an area surrounded by violent settlements including Itamar and the Gideon’s Farm outpost, which was recently shortlisted for legalization by the Israeli government.
• al-Mughayyir: On Feb 21st, settlers descended on a home in the village of al-Mughayyir, and proceeded to beat the Palestinian family living there. When two men came to the aid of the family, settlers and IDF soldiers in the area opened fire, wounding two. The family, the Abu Naim family, has decided to abandon their home out of fear.
• Qusra: On February 27th, settlers attacked a group of Israeli activists in near the village of Qusra, located in the area of Nablus. Two were hospitalized with head injuries.

News & Analysis of State-Backed Settler Terrorism

1. “State indicts 19-year-old for alleged revenge rampage in West Bank village after outpost evacuation” (Jerusalem Post, 2/25/2026)
2. “US avoids condemning settler killing of Palestinian-American in armed West Bank attack” (The Times of Israel, 2/22/2026)
3. “Settlers Drive a Palestinian Family Off Its Land” (New York Times, 2/24/2026)

 

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

October 24, 2025

1. Knesset Votes to Advance Two West Bank Annexation Bill
2. Israel Advances 248 New Settlement Units
3. Settlers Take Over Cave in South Hebron Hills & Are Building New Outpost
4. Settler Terrorism Targets the Olive Harvest
5. Bonus Reads

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Knesset Votes to Advance Two West Bank Annexation Bill

Two annexation bills got a preliminary nod from the Israeli Knesset this week.

The first, a bill calling for annexation of “settlement spaces”, passed its preliminary reading with the Knesset voting to advance the bill with a bare majority of 25-24. The bill will now proceed through three further rounds of voting. It is not totally clear how expansive the bill is as it calls to annex “settlement spaces in Judea and Samaria” but does not map out what that means (other than the fact it does not include Palestinians). Area C of the West Bank – where the majority of Israeli settlements are – is some 60% of the West Bank, but outside of Area C there is expansive amounts of Israeli infrastructure (roads, services, etc) serving the settlements in addition to settlement outposts.

Notably, Likud Minister Yuli Edelstein broke ranks with his Party to vote in favor of the bill despite opposition from Likud’s head of party, Prime Minister Netanyahu. Other members of the Likud party abstained from voting. Edelstein, who was Speaker of the Knesset from 2013-2020, was later removed from his role on the powerful Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee as a result of his vote and Prime Minister Netanyahu issued a statement calling Edelstein “disgruntled”. The Likud Party released a statement explaining why it opposed the bill, making it clear it supports annexation but wants to achieve it differently. The statement read:

“Real sovereignty will not be achieved through a showpiece law for the record, but through proper work on the ground and creating the political conditions for recognition of our sovereignty.”

A second bill calling for annexation of the Maale Adumim settlement also passed the preliminary reading vote with a large majority vote of 32-9.

The Knesset’s actions elicited a strong reaction from the Trump Administration, which has been engaged in near constant shuttle diplomacy to Israel over the past week in the hopes of preventing Israel from completely walking away from the Gaza ceasefire deal. The Knesset held its vote on the annexation bills while U.S. Vice President JD Vance was in Israel, leading Vance to tell reporters he was “insulted” by the decision to hold the vote, saying the “policy of the Trump administration is that the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel.” On his way to Israel, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also confirmed the U.S. does not support Israel’s annexation of West Bank land “right now.” President Trump made his position on annexation clear to Time Magazine in a recent interview which was published this week, saying:

“It won’t happen. It won’t happen. It won’t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries. And you can’t do that now. We’ve had great Arab support. It won’t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries. It will not happen. Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened.””

In addition to the White House’s opposition, 46 of 47 Democratic senators signed a letter opposing Israeli annexation of the West Bank, settlement expansion, and any measures that would block Palestinian statehood. Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman was the only Democrat who did not sign the letter.

Qatar also issued a statement condemning the vote.

Israel Advances 248 New Settlement Units

Peace Now reports the Israeli High Planning Council (a body within the Israeli Defense Ministry which currently oversees construction planning in Areas C of the West Bank) met on October 22nd to consider the following plans to expand settlements:

• One plan for 102 new settlement units in the Rotem settlement, located in the northern Jordan Valley;
• One plan for 4 new settlement units in the Shiloh settlement, located in the northern West Bank in a string of Israeli settlements reaching from the Green Line to the Ariel, Eli, and Amichai settlements that bisect the northern West Bank and reach through to the Jordan Valley;
• Two plans for a total of 128 new settlement units in the Eli settlement, located between Nablus and Ramallah in the northern West Bank as part of a string of Israeli settlements reaching from the Green Line to the Ariel, Eli, and Amichai settlements that bisect the northern West Bank and reach through to the Jordan Valley;;
• Two plans for a total of 14 new settlement units in the Givat Zeev settlement north of Jerusalem.

Peace Now reminds:

“Since November 2024, the Higher Planning Council has been holding weekly meetings to advance housing projects in the settlements. The shift to a weekly approval process not only normalizes construction in the territories but also accelerates it. Since the beginning of 2025, including the plans slated for approval this week, the council has advanced a total of 25,129 housing units. All time record.”

Settlers Take Over Cave in South Hebron Hills & Are Building New Outpost

On October 20th a group of settlers broke into a locked cave in the village of Sarura, located in the Masafer Yatta region of the South Hebron Hills. Settlers proceeded to move furnishings, belongings, and food into the cave clearly planning to stay. The settlers sprayed graffiti and erected a Start of David, showing their domination of the area. The settlers proceeded to violently threaten Palestinians and solidarity activists who approached the surrounding land. 

The owner of the cave attempted to contact Israeli authorities but it took several days for the military to issue an order closing the area to settlers, though the order was not enforced and so the settlers remained. The military issued a second order affecting a larger area, and in response, the settlers left the cave only to return hours later with construction equipment. The settlers are now expanding their new outpost. 

Caves are historic and cherished parts of the Palestinian community in Masafer Yatta. In fact, Palestinians started a concerted effort to preserve, restore, and defend the caves from settler takeover via an initiative called “Youth of Sumud.” Volunteers with Youth of Sumud have restored several caves, including many caves in Sarura one of which the group used as a community center to host education events and other programs for youth and women. The Israeli army issued a demolition order against the community center in 2022.

Settler Terrorism Targets the Olive Harvest

Over the second week of the olive harvest season, settler terrorism has continued to intensify with OCHA documenting 86 settler attacks across 50 villages and towns since early October. Those attacks have injured at least 112 Palestinians and damaged more than 3,000 trees and saplings. Haaretz published a harrowing, interactive expose on the reign of terror settlers have been allowed to carry out, showing just how effective settler violence is at coercing Palestinians into leaving their lands. 

Some of the settler violence over the past week included:

• October 19th: Settlers attacked Turmus Ayya, violently clubbing a defenseless elderly woman while she lay on the ground and injuring many others. Settlers set Palestinian cars aflame. Settlers scared off olive harvesters and then began picking olives themselves. After the video of the attack on the elderly woman went viral, it was reported that the Israeli police issued an arrest warrant for the settler filmed attacking the woman.
• October 19th: Setters attacked the village of Taybeh, closing off the villages’ main entry/exit road.
• October 20th: A group of female settlers calling themselves “Hill Girls” (perhaps referencing the notoriously violent Hilltop Youth settler terror group) filmed themselves harvesting olives in Palestinian groves located west of Bethlehem.

In Gaza, where the olive harvest will be devastated for the third year – Palestinians estimate that Israel has destroyed 1 million olive trees, leaving only 100,000 trees left. The head of the Palestinian Olive Council, Fayyad Fayyad, told Drop Site:

“There is no olive season this year. We estimate that nearly one million of Gaza’s 1.1 million olive trees have been destroyed.” In 2022, Gaza produced about 50,000 tons of olives. This year, Fayyad said, the total will be well under a thousand. “The destruction is deliberate,” he said. “Israel aims to eliminate the agricultural sector, including olives. What remains are scattered trees—not groves, not production.”

One olive grower told Drop Site through tears:

“The olive season was our happiest time of year. We would gather to pick, sing, and eat together. Now that joy is gone—like everything else this war has taken.”

Another Palestinian olive farmer said:

“We could hardly water the trees. The land was next to Israeli tank positions for months….For my father, it’s not just oil—it’s identity. We want to taste oil from our own trees, not from somewhere we don’t trust. The olive tree tells us we are still alive.”

Bonus Reads

1. “West Bank: Impunity deepens the occupation amid increasing restrictions on aid” (Norwegian Refugee Council, 10/23/25)
2. “Can Israel annex the West Bank if the US says no?” (Al Jazeera, 10/24/25)

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

September 26, 2025

1. Trump Says No to Israeli Annexation
2. United Nations Adds 68 New Companies to List of Businesses Supporting the Settlement Enterprise
3. Bonus Reads

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Trump Says No to Israeli Annexation

President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he “will not allow” Israel to formally annex the West Bank, saying further “It’s been enough. It’s time to stop now.” Netanyahu has reportedly been preparing an de jure annexation plan to appease members of his cabinets, framed as a response to international recognition of a Palestinian state. However, a senior government official has told the press that Trump actually helped Netanyahu out of yet another jam, providing him cover with his coalition partners to defer formal annexation and preserve the Abraham Accords. 

International pressure against annexation has continued to mount, including new warnings from Saudi Arabia and France and a lot of attention at the UN gathering this week in NY. Nonetheless, Israeli officials surrounding Netanyahu have taken to social media to react to Trump’s comments and urge Netanyahu to move forward with unilateral annexation. On the same day as Trump’s comments, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar told a reporter that Israel is considering areas of the West Bank that are not under PA control, saying Israel has no interest in annexing Palestinians. This plan hints at a plan introduced by Smotrich weeks before to annex 82% of the West Bank, leaving six discontiguous Palestinian population centers under Palestinian control, surrounded entirely by Israel.

United Nations Adds 68 New Companies to List of Businesses Supporting the Settlement Enterprise

The United Nations updated its database of businesses involved in building, maintaining, securing, and servicing Israeli settlements in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights.Sixty-eight new companies were added to the list, including German construction giant Heidelberg, while seven companies were removed from the list. 

Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson of the UN human rights office said in a statement:

“Businesses working in contexts of conflict have a due diligence responsibility to ensure their activities do not contribute to human rights abuses. We call on businesses to take appropriate action to address the adverse human rights impacts of their activities.”

As a reminder, on February 12, 2020, following nearly four years of delay, the UNHRC  published a (non-comprehensive) database of businesses involved in building, maintaining, securing, and servicing Israeli settlements in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. The database was requested by members of the Council in March 2016, in order to assist member states in complying with international legal obligations with regards to doing business with companies involved in activities which violate the human rights of people around the world. The publication of the database was repeatedly been delayed due to heavy pressure from Israel and the United States, neither of which are members of the Human Rights Council. Even before its publication, Israel and the U.S. argued that the database would by definition be anti-Israel and antisemitic. From the start they also labeled the database a “blacklist,” even though the database itself neither calls for nor imposes any punitive consequences on the listed businesses. 

Bonus Reads

1. “Top Israeli Official Overseeing West Bank Land Removed After Disputes With Smotrich Allies” (Haaretz, 9/24/25)
2. “Settler Takeover or Hotel? Fate of One of Israel’s Most Beautiful Buildings Now in Doubt” (Haaretz, 9/21/25)
3. “Israeli Police Didn’t Actually Investigate the Settler Incident, but Still Made a Firm Conclusion” (Haaretz, 9/26/25)

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

September 19, 2025

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

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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

1. “Israel Demolishes Palestinian Village Attacked by Settlers in West Bank” (Haaretz, 9/18/25)
2. “How Israel’s Education Minister Is Using School Trips to Push a Far-right Agenda” (Haaretz, 9/15/25)
3. “‘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)
4. “Oscar-winning Palestinian director Basel Adra says his home in West Bank raided by Israeli soldiers” (AP, 9/14/25)
5. “EU Proposes Sanctions on Israel: Suspending Trade Benefits, Targeting Far-right Ministers” (Haaretz, 9/17/25)
6. “In the West Bank, Trump Is Not Standing in Israel’s Way” (New York Times, 9/19/25)
7. “Editorial: Israel’s ‘Real Estate Bonanza’ Involves Wiping Gaza Off the Face of the Earth” (Haaretz, 9/19/25)
8. “EU Proposes Sanctions on Israel: Suspending Trade Benefits, Targeting Far-right Ministers” (Haaretz, 9/17/25)
9. “Ambassador Huckabee receives honorary Samaria citizenship” (Arutz Sheva, 9/17/25)

 

Welcome to FMEP’s Weekly Settlement Report, covering major news on Israeli settlement and annexation activity this week.

To subscribe to this report, please click here.

February 7, 2025

1. East Jerusalem Settlement Plans to Watch
2. Israel Pushing Raze Palestinian Homes in Sheikh Jarrah, Build New Settlement Enclave
3. High Court Orders Zanuta Return, Again
4. High Court Orders Investigation Into Settler Municipal Councils
5. Settler Population Grew 2.3% in 2024
6. Trump to Decide on West Bank Annexation In Four Weeks
7. Bonus Reads

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East Jerusalem Settlement Plans to Watch

Haaretz reports that, with Trump installed in office, the Israeli government is pushing forward at least three settlement plans in the greater Jerusalem area:

1. Atarot Settlement – see background here.
2. Givat Hamatos settlement expansion towards Beit Safafa – see background here.
3. The Glassman Yeshiva plan for Sheikh Jarrah – see background here.
4. A settlement enclave plan in Sheikh Jarrah (See below)

Israel Pushing Raze Palestinian Homes in Sheikh Jarrah, Build New Settlement Enclave

Haaretz reports the Jerusalem Municipality is advancing plans for the construction of a new settlement enclave – composed of 312 residential units in 15 buildings – in the heart of the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem. If enacted, the plan will displace dozens of Palestinian families in the Um Haroun section of the community, destroying approximately 40 buildings, in favor of Israeli Jews.

East Jerusalem expert Danny Seideman writes:

“For the first time since 1967, the Government of Israel intends to raze a Palestinian [neighborhood] in East Jerusalem, displace its residents and build an Israeli settlement in its stead. This is without precedent.”

The land in question was secretly brought under the management of the Israeli General Custodian, a clandestine effort that was discovered in May 2021 by Ir Amim and Bimkom. The land registration procedures were carried out without notifying Palestinian residents or providing an opportunity to defend ownership claims. Legal efforts to halt Israel’s registration of the lands were denied.

Ir Amim researcher Aviv Tatarsky told Haaretz:

“The plan is part of a racist policy aimed at establishing Jewish supremacy in the city and pushing out its Palestinian residents. The new plan being promoted by the government is nothing but a calculated assault on Palestinian presence in Jerusalem. It aims to erase an entire neighborhood and turn it into a settler outpost.”

High Court Orders Zanuta Return, Again

For the second time, the Israeli High Court of Justice ordered the State of Israel to facilitate the safe return of residents to their homes in Zanuta, located in the South Hebron Hills, by February 16th. Residents of Zanuta have been forced to flee from their homes twice now, both times due to the persistent violent harassment and attacks perpetrated by nearby settlers. In the most recent ruling, the Court ordered that Israeli police and the army must provide ongoing and sustained protection to the residents, and the Court ruled the State must allow residents to repair homes and infrastructure that were damaged/demolished by settlers when the residents were absent. In the past, the State tried to coerce residents into permanently abandoning Zanuta by refusing to issue new permits and to carry out demolitions against the remaining buildings that did not already have permits.

The villagers first left in November 2023 after violence escalated dramatically following the events of October 7th. In July 2024 the Israeli High Court of Justice ruled that the State of Israel must facilitate their safe return to the land. Villagers started returning to the area in August 2024 to discover that in the intervening months, settlers have been allowed to enter the area and destroy nearly all of the houses, the small school, and the village’s health clinic. The village appeared ransacked. Only days after their initial return, the village was attacked by Yinon Levy (a settler under international sanctions for his involvement in violence) while the Israeli police and army watched.

High Court Orders Investigation Into Settler Municipal Councils

On February 4th, the Israeli High Court of Justice ordered Israeli police to open a criminal investigation into the involvement of two settlement regional councils in the illegal construction of outposts. The Court made this ruling in response to petitions filed by Peace Now, which documented the alleged  involvement of the settlement councils in constructing three outposts: Shvut Rachel, Haroeh, and Alonei Shiloh. Since the petition was filed in 2018 the Shvut Rachel outpost has been granted retroactive legalization by the Israeli government; and, the Alonei Shiloh outpost is in the process of receiving retroactive legalization.

Settler Population Grew 2.3% in 2024

According to data compiled by the pro-settlement advocacy group “West Bank Stats”, the population of settlers in the West Bank (not including East Jerusalem) rose by 2.3% in 2024 – 12,000 individuals. The 2023 growth rate was 2.9%.

The group’s founder, Baruch Gordon, told ABC News that he expects “an explosion in [settlement] construction” during the Trump Administration.

Trump to Decide on West Bank Annexation In Four Weeks

At a press conference on February 4th alongside Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu,  President Trump said he will announce whether or not his administration will support Israel’s de jure annexation of the West Bank in four weeks. When asked a question by a reporter who stated their support for annexation, President Trump said:

“We’re discussing that with many of your representatives. You’re represented very well… [but] we haven’t been taking a position on it yet…People do like the idea, but we haven’t taken a position on it yet. We’ll be making an announcement probably on that very specific topic over the next four weeks.”

Trump has appointed many officials in his administration who strongly support Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank, including his nomination for U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, and the newly appointed Ambassador to the UN, Elise Stefanik.

During Trump’s election campaign, Miriam Adelson – who donated $100 million to Trump’s effort – reportedly conditioned her funding on Trump’s pledge to support West Bank annexation, though a spokesperson for Adelson denied the report.

Bonus Reads

1. “NGOs, Trade Unions, Call on EU to Ban Trade with Israel’s Illegal Settlements” (Human Rights Watch)
2. “As part of West Bank offensive, Israel conducts largest demolition in years” (Mondoweiss)
3. “Curfews, demolitions and airstrikes: Israel expands West Bank offensive to Tulkarem, Jordan Valley” (Mondoweiss)
4. “Israeli Settler Indicted After Opening Fire on Palestinian Family Harvesting Olives in the West Bank” (Haaretz)
5. “West Bank? No, Judea and Samaria, Some Republicans Say.” (New York Times)
6. “What Just Happened: Trump’s Termination of West Bank Settler Sanctions” (Just Security)
7. “Trump’s Gaza plan suggests his pro-settler advisers are in the ascendant” (The Guardian)

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

To subscribe to this report, please click here.

January 17, 2025

1. Settlement Advancement Continue on Weekly Basis
2. Judge Rules on Five Cases, All in Favor of Settlers Claims in Batan al-Hawa
3. New Bimkom-Ir Amim Report: Planning in East Jerusalem Completely Halted by New Protocol
4. New Data Confirms: Settlers Face Virtually NO Accountability for Crimes Against Palestinians & Their Property
5. Al-Haq and Partners File Additional Info on Booking.Com Settlement Business
6. Trump Invites Settler Leaders to Attend Inauguration
7. Bonus Reads

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Settlement Advancement Continue on Weekly Basis

Peace Now reports the High Planning Council was scheduled to convene on January 15th to advance plans for 372 new settlement units, all planned for the Beitar Illit settlement. This is the seventh week in a row the HPC has met to approve settlement construction.

The HPC is scheduled to meet again next week, on January 22nd, for the eighth consecutive week. At that meeting, the HPC is expected to give final approval to a plan for the construction of 184 new settlement units in the Migdalim settlement.

Peace Now writes:

“Since the current Netanyahu government took office, record numbers of housing units have been advanced in the West Bank. In 2023, the HPC approved 12,349 housing units—a record high. In 2024, 9,884 housing units were approved. The transition to weekly planning approvals is the result of policy changes introduced by the Netanyahu-Smotrich government. One key decision, made in June 2023, abolished the requirement for the Defense Minister’s approval at every stage of advancing settlement plans. Previously, settlement construction plans required prior approval from the Defense Minister. In recent years, the Defense Minister limited settlement planning sessions to approximately four times a year, resulting in the approval of thousands of units in each session.

In recent weeks, however, a significant change has occurred, with the HPC convening every week to approve a few hundred housing units in each meeting. This systematic approach aims to normalize settlement planning and attract less public and international attention and criticism.”

Judge Rules on Five Cases, All in Favor of Settlers Claims in Batan al-Hawa

Peace Now reports that the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court has ruled in favor of Israeli settlers in four cases (with a fifth ruling expected soon), resulting in the impending eviction of Palestinians from their longtime homes in the Batan al-Hawa section of the Silwan neighborhood in East Jerusalem in favor of the settlers. The five cases will result in 27 Palestinian families (131 individuals, mostly children) being forcibly displaced from their homes. The Court gave the families a six month deadline.

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

Peace Now writes: 

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

Ir Amim writes:

“Since the outbreak of the war, there has been a dramatic spike in the number of court decisions authorizing evictions of Palestinian families in favor of settler groups. Over the past several months, the courts have ruled to evict a total of 17 families (households), numbering some 100 individuals–the majority of whom are from Batan al-Hawa.”

New Bimkom-Ir Amim Report: Planning in East Jerusalem Completely Halted by New Protocol

Ir Amim and Bimkom have released a new report examining the recent intensification of Israel systematical denial of the ability for Palestinians to plan for construction in East Jerusalem. In 2023 Israel replaced the traditional “Muktar Protocol” with a new process which has resulted in a near total freeze on planning for Palestinians on unregistered private property.

The report explains:

“In comparison to the “Mukhtar Protocol,” the new protocol has had a detrimental impact on private residential planning (and building) in East Jerusalem4. According to the new protocol, planning and building submissions are required to include Jordanian property tax certificates from the early 1960s or earlier (or Israeli property tax until the year 2000) along with records detailing the historical chain of ownership up to the present. These requirements, usually demanded only as part of SOLT procedures– which are problematic in themselves– are new to the planning process. Additionally, the new protocol requires that the District Planning Bureau approach state authorities, such as the Custodian of Absentee Property (CAP), the General Custodian (GC), the Israel Land Authority (ILA), the Municipality, and the SOLT registrar to check whether they have claims on the same land. In the past, the SOLT registrar was not on this list, and the Planning Bureau often did not wait for responses from the other entities to proceed.

Now, the SOLT registrar has been in effect given the right of veto within the planning process. The added requirements present East Jerusalem Palestinians with two difficulties – a bureaucratic and a fundamental one. The bureaucratic difficulty is related to the challenge of obtaining the necessary documents. The fundamental difficulty is the real danger of losing land under the Absentee Property Law, which is applied through the new protocol, as it is via SOLT.”

New Data Confirms: Settlers Face Virtually NO Accountability for Crimes Against Palestinians & Their Property

Yesh Din’s newly updated tracking shows that 94% of criminal investigations into ideological offenses committed by Israelis against Palestinians in the West Bank in the past 20 years have been closed without indictments. Further, Yesh Din has found insufficient investigations into 81% of the cases, displaying “a longstanding systemic and deliberate failure in law enforcement responses to ideologically motivated crime against Palestinians in the West Bank.”

Yesh Din further explains that the larger context of this data paints an even more dire picture. They find 66% of Palestinian victims chose not to file complaints against Israeli offenders at all – meaning the data does not tell the full story. Palestinians victims of Israeli violence routinely cite a lack of faith in the Israel Police and trust that the Israeli authorities in their decision not to file a complaint.

The picture is clear: violence is a policy. Settler violence is part of a systematic approach aimed at expanding control over West Bank territory by making Palestinian lives unbearable and pushing them off their lands.

Yesh Din writes:

“This reflects the ongoing failure of Israeli authorities to enforce the law against Israeli citizens who commit serious crimes against Palestinians and their property. For two decades, we have monitored this phenomenon and provided legal assistance to Palestinian victims. The new data underscores the lack of deterrence and the lenient policies of Israeli law enforcement toward ideological crimes. Most investigations are closed on grounds such as “unknown perpetrator” or “lack of evidence,” highlighting negligent and ineffective investigations. Only 3% of cases resulted in convictions, giving offenders a sense of immunity from accountability for their actions while Palestinians whose rights are violated remain unprotected by the law.”

Al-Haq and Partners File Additional Info on Booking.Com Settlement Business

Al-Haq and partners have filed additional evidence against Booking.com accusing the travel company of profiting from stolen land through its decision to promote rentals located in settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. The new evidence, which was submitted to a court in the Netherlands where the case was filed in 2023, accuses Booking.com of adding to the number of listings it hosts in settlements – from 13 rentals to 39 rentals in East Jerusalem over the past year.

The complainants write:

“In our complaint, we argue that by promoting and listing properties in illegal settlements, Booking.com directly supports the normalisation and economic sustainability of these unlawful practices. The company provides financial backing to settlers and their enterprises, furthering the displacement of Palestinians and solidifying settlement expansion. This conduct sustains Israel’s settler-colonial regime and violations of international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits population transfer into occupied territories. We have substantiated our claims thoroughly. For instance, the additional evidence builds on the July 2024 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice, which reaffirmed the illegality of Israeli settlements and underscored the responsibility of states to prevent economic activities that perpetuate them.”

Trump Invites Settler Leaders to Attend Inauguration

Settlers leaders from the powerful Yesha Council are gleefully celebrating their invitation to attend the inauguration of Donald Trump, who is being sworn into office on January 20th.  Yesha Council Chairman and Binyamin Regional Council Head Israel Ganz, Samaria Regional Council Head Yossi Dagan, Oranit Council Head Or Piron-Zomer, and Yesha Council CEO Omer Rahamim all plan to attend as official guests.

The Times of Israel reports the delegation plans to deliver a letter thanking Trump for “redeeming” Jerusalem and recognizing Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights during his previous presidency.

Speaking about the delegations plans, a Yesha Council official told Israel Hayom:

“Our objective is to strengthen existing connections and forge new ones. Washington’s attention is elsewhere at present. Trump is focused on Greenland sovereignty matters, not Israel’s concerns in Judea and Samaria. Timing is crucial. We must proceed strategically and appropriately.”

In a statement to Israel Hayom, Yesha Council Chairman Israel Ganz said: 

“We represent Judea and Samaria residents in standing with our allies and President-elect Trump at this historic moment. The administration’s invitation reflects our shared Biblical values with the US. We face a common moral challenge against global threats, with Judea and Samaria settlements serving as the frontline defense for Israel, America, and the free world. We envision achieving transformative progress that will ensure global stability for generations, and we support Trump’s leadership in this endeavor. Our ongoing dialogue with senior administration officials continues to advance these goals.”

Samaria Regional Council Head Yossi Dagan told Israel Hayom: 

“Our delegation brings the blessing of the communities in Judea and Samaria to the new administration. Years of relationship-building with our newly elected American friends have created this pivotal opportunity for Israel, particularly its government, to achieve significant advances in strengthening our presence in the Land of Israel. Our unified approach underscores the importance of maintaining strong ties with the incoming American administration and bolstering support for the communities in Judea and Samaria, both internationally and among US Jewish communities.”

Bonus Reads

1. “Defense Chief Cancels Detention Without Trial for Settlers Ahead of ‘Terrorists’ Release in Gaza Hostage Deal” (Haaretz)​
2. “Humanitarian Situation Update #256 | West Bank” (OCHA)
3. “Israeli minister asks PM to back plan for a million Jews in Samaria” (JNS)

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 13, 2024

1. More Demolitions in Silwan Imminent, Threatening Displacement and Replacement
2. Israel Seizes Land Northwest of Jerusalem, Possibly to Expand Settlement
3. Israel Demolishes Structures in “Agreed Upon Reserve” Near Bethlehem
4. Weiss Details Work Towards Gaza Settlements
5. Settlers Move on Plans to Settle South Lebanon & Syria
6. U.S. Senator Intro’s Bill to Compel U.S. Adoption of Settler Terminology “Judea and Samaria”
7. U.S. Democrats Introduce Bill to Codify Biden’s Sanctions on Violent Settlers
8. Bonus Reads

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More Demolitions in Silwan Imminent, Threatening Displacement and Replacement

Ir Amim and Peace Now continue to raise the alarm on the escalation in demolitions targeting Palestinians in Silwan, particularly in the Batan al-Hawa and al-Bustan sections of the neighborhood. In al-Bustan, it is particularly concerning that the Israeli government is rapidly pursuing its plans to displace the entire neighborhood in order to construct the “King’s Garden” tourist site.

Ir Amim explains: 

“The entire neighborhood of Al Bustan, which contains approximately 115 houses and home to over 1500 Palestinians, is under threat of largescale demolition as a result of Israeli plans to establish a tourist and archaeological park in the area. Most of the homes are considered unauthorized by the Israeli authorities due to the inability to obtain building permits and therefore subject to demolition, which is a direct result of discrimination implicit within the Israeli planning system. For years, Al Bustan residents have engaged in negotiations with the Jerusalem Municipality in an attempt to secure an equitable housing solution for the community, which would legalize building and enable proper residential development. Yet, negotiations have recently broke down, and all legal channels have been exhausted, effectively removing all safeguards.”

Peace Now said in a statement:

“The Jerusalem Municipality has begun a systematic campaign to demolish an entire residential neighborhood in East Jerusalem to build a tourist park. This is an injustice that cannot go unnoticed. Instead of caring for the thousands of Jerusalem residents, the municipality is acting against them. The residents of al-Bustan invested years preparing a building plan to legalize their homes, but the municipality has refused to advance any plan. Jerusalem is not a unified city; it is a city of occupation, dispossession and discrimination.”

The demolition plans in Batan al-Hawa are no less cynical, and – like all over East Jerusalem – only one means by which settlers are displacing and  replacing Palestinians. Ateret Cohanim has waged a complementary legal battle to gain ownership rights to homes in Silwan that were owned by Jews prior to 1948 – – though the homes are currently (and in some cases for generations) inhabited by Palestinians. In Batan al-Hawa, Ateret Cohanim recently won rights to the Gheith family home – and with the transfer of ownership imminent the house was burnt down allegedly by Palestinians.

Israel Seizes Land Northwest of Jerusalem, Possibly to Expand Settlement

Middle East Eye reports that Israel has seized control of Palestinian land historically belonging to the villages of Qatanna and Biddu. The land is located on the Israeli side of the separation barrier, which has been cut off from the villages for over two decades (meaning the Israeli state de-facto annexed this land already on the pretext of security). The land (5.5 hectares) was seized as “state land” and it is speculated that it will be allocated to the Har Adar settlement to enable its expansion. 

Israel Demolishes Structures in “Agreed Upon Reserve” Near Bethlehem

On December 12th, Israeli forces demolished seven Palestinian structures on land near Bethlehem that was designated as Area B by the Oslo Accords, meaning the Palestinian Authority is supposed to have full control over the civil administration of the land – including building enforcement laws/regulations. These demolitions follow Israel’s decision in August 2024 to memorialize its formal control over construction enforcement in an area of land designated as an “Agreed Upon Reserve” as delineated by the Wye Agreement in 1998, at which time the Palestinian Authority was granted civilian control, 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.

Weiss Details Work Towards Gaza Settlements

In a detailed and sourced thread on X, Yehuda Shaul (Founder of Ofek) details recent television program featuring Daniella Weiss, the leader of the Nachala Movement and the effort to establish settlements in Gaza. The program delved into Weiss’s 5-stage plan to establish GAza settlements, claiming to have already raised NIS 15 million for the effort (reportedly from Brazilian sources), some of which has been used to purchase 40 caravans, generators and furniture. 

Nachala is already at work on all points of this plan, particularly what is labelled as phase 3, “establishing a temporary settlement on the Gaza border to serve as a jumping-off point for entering Gaza when the opportunity presents itself.” Shaul further highlights the role that the IDF’s current presence and entrenchment in Gaza play – Weiss plans to coop military infrastructure to sustain long term settlements.

Settlers Move on Plans to Settle South Lebanon & Syria

+972 Magazine reports on the efforts of various (and growing) settler groups to establish outposts in southern Lebanon and, now, south Syria as the Israeli military occupies these lands.

Last week, settlers succeeded in crossing into Southern Lebanon and erecting a few tents in an attempt to stay there. The IDF removed settlers rather quickly,, but that did not dash the hopes and plans of settlers to establish a long term presence there.

Amos Azaria, who founded the  Uri Tsafon organization aimed at settling southern Lebanon, told +972 Magazine:

““The first time we’re evicted, we go…The second time, we stay longer. The [third] time, we stay the night. That’s how we’ll continue until there is a settlement. At first, [the army] demolishes it, and then they reach an agreement that there will be one settlement, and that’s it. In the meantime, we start working on the next settlement. It may not be realistic that the state will build a settlement [of its own accord], but that doesn’t mean the state has to demolish a community that we built. “

Earlier this year Uri Tsfon hosted a conference dedicated to planning the settlement of Lebanon, and in October it published flyers advertising homes for sale across the Israeli border, in sovereign Lebanese territory

On the Uri Tsafon Facebook page many people posted messages expressing urgency in settling territory in Syria. The Nachala Movement, headed by Daniella Weiss, even posted: 

“Whoever still thinks it’s possible to leave our fate in the hands of a foreign actor — forsakes Israel’s security! Jewish settlement is the only thing that will bring about regional stability and security for the State of Israel, along with a stable economy, national resilience, and deterrence. In Gaza, in Lebanon, in the entire Golan Heights including the ‘Syrian Plateau,’ and in the entire Mount Hermon.”

U.S. Senator Intro’s Bill to Compel U.S. Adoption of Settler Terminology “Judea and Samaria”

FMEP’s Lara Friedman reports that Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced a bill to “prohibit the use of materials that use the term ‘West Bank’, and for other purposes.” If passed into law, the bill would remove all references to “West Bank” from U.S. government documents, replacing them with the biblical name used by Israeli settlers. This bill mirrors a bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in March 2024. The House bill has made no progress and gained no new co-sponsors.

Friedman further explains:

“Notably, while both the Cotton bill and HR 7552 explicitly seek to compel the use of the terms “Judea and Samaria” to refer to the entire West Bank, the bills’ text specifies that it is referring to land “annexed by Israel from Jordan during the 1967 Six-Day War.” Which suggests either (a) very sloppy drafting on the part of whomever wrote the bill, (b) that Cotton and Tenney intend the word “annex” in a sense other than the legal one (since as of this writing Israel has not moved to formally annex any of the West Bank other than East Jerusalem and its West Bank environs; or (c) that the drafters of this bill are intentionally seeking to have the US formally recognize West Bank annexation by Israel in advance of – and in fact, irrespective of – a formal declaration of annexation by Israel.”

U.S. Democrats Introduce Bill to Codify Biden’s Sanctions on Violent Settlers

FMEP’s Lara Friedman reports that on December 10th a group of Democratic lawmakers in the Senate and the House of Representative  introduced companion legislation that would “codify Executive Order 14115 imposing certain sanctions on persons undermining peace, security, and stability in the West Bank.” Over the past year the Biden Administration has issued a total of 33 sanctions targeting individuals and entities alleged to have participated in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

Since the election of Donald Trump (who takes office on January 20, 2025), settlers have prioritized lobbying for the repeal of Biden’s sanctions.

Bonus Reads

1. “Intensification of Surveillance in East Jerusalem Since October 2023.” (7amleh)
2. “West Bank Monthly Snapshot – Casualties, Property Damage and Displacement | November 2024” (OCHA OPT)
3. “Katz orders IDF to prepare for Judea and Samaria escalation” (JNS)

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.

November 8, 2024

1. Givat Hamatos Expansion Plan to Advance
2. MK Sukkot Introduces Bill to Legalize All Outposts
3. Settlers Lead Pogrom in al-Bireh
4. Mapping the Settler-Led Expulsions of 50+ Palestinian Communities Since 2022
5. Settlers Rejoice Over U.S. Election Results
6. Netanyahu Appoints Kahanist Settler as New Ambassador to the U.S.
7. Bonus Reads

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Givat Hamatos Expansion Plan to Advance

Ir Amim reports the Jerusalem District Court was scheduled to meet on November 5th (coinciding with the U.S. presidential election) to advance a highly controversial plan to expand the Givat Hamatos settlement in East Jerusalem (called the “Hebron Road”). The outcome of hte meeting has not been reported at the time of publication, though Ir Amim expected the Committee to discuss and dismiss objections to the plan, advancing it to the final approval stage.

The plan to expand Givat Hamatos calls for 3,500 new settlement housing units in addition to 1,300 hotel rooms to be built on the eastern slopes of the settlement. This plan will double the number of housing units in the Givat Hamatos settlement and increase its land mass by 40%. Further, the new settlement will be built on a strategic strip of land that will expand the area of Givat Hamatos eastward, connecting it with another new settlement plan – the “Lower Aqueduct Plan.” These plans ultimately create a string of settlements — spanning from Gilo to Givat Hamatos to Har Homa — that, together with the planned “Givat HaShaked” settlement to its north, completely encircle the East Jerusalem Palestinian neighborhood of Beit Safafa with Israeli settlement construction. 

Ir Amim comments:

“Currently under construction, Givat Hamatos is the first new settlement to be built in East Jerusalem in over 20 years. These two plans along with concurrent settlement advancements in the area are cumulatively sealing-off East Jerusalem’s southern border from Bethlehem and the southern West Bank, while creating more contiguity with the Gush Etzion settlements. Rather than utilizing these plans to address the acute housing needs of the local Palestinian population, they are instead intended for Jewish Israelis despite the land’s proximity to Palestinian neighborhoods, including Beit Safafa, which is being encircled and choked-off by Israel settlements.”

MK Sukkot Introduces Bill to Legalize All Outposts

MK Zvi Sukkot has tabled a draft bill that would grant legal status (under Israeli law) to ~140 outposts across the West Bank. The bill would transform illegal outposts – regardless of the status of land on which settlers built on – into government-recognized settlements within two years, connecting the outposts to all Israeli infrastructure and services – entrenching the presence of radical (and often violent) Israeli settlers on Palestinian land near Palestinian population centers.

Settlers and their allies in the Knesset have been pushing for years for the government to grant formal recognition to outposts. The coalition agreements which brought the current Israeli government into power included a commitment to the full recognition and integration of outposts. The government has done a lot to fulfill this pledge, as seen in the actions taken to legalize the Homesh outpost, the Evyatar outpost, and the Israeli Cabinet’s February 2023 decision to legalize ten of the most isolated, legally complicated outposts. That decision also included approval of a clause that makes the remaining outposts eligible – right away, even as they remain illegal – to receive Israeli municipal services like water and electricity.

Settlers Lead Pogrom in al-Bireh

At 3am on November 4th, a group of masked settlers violently attacked the Palestinian town of El-Bireh (near downtown Hebron) – leaving at least 17 cars on fire and buildings defaced with the slogan, “For Judea and Samaria – War.” The armed settlers shot at Palestinians attempting to stop the pogrom and put out the fires and they shot at an ambulance arriving at the scene. Reuters described the settler’s attach as “one of their boldest raids yet in the area that serves as the Palestinians’ seat of government in the occupied West Bank.”

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights said in a statement:

“The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) strongly condemns Israeli armed settlers’ attack on two towns in Ramallah, central West Bank, and burning 19 vehicles. This incident follows a month during which settlers carried out more than 180 attacks, primarily against olive harvesters, in an alarming escalation of state-backed violence across the West Bank.

These crimes are part of a broader systematic violence by settlers under the protection of IOF. This violence persists amid an atmosphere of impunity and protection settlers receive within Israel, perpetuating a broader policy of demographic change and entrenching Israel’s sovereignty and grip on the West Bank, as well as furthering the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians…

PCHR condemns settler violence, pointing out that most of it occurs under the protection of IOF, which intervene to secure settlers during their attacks and their subsequent withdrawal while suppressing Palestinians attempting self-defense. Often, no serious complaints or investigations are pursued.”

Mapping the Settler-Led Expulsions of 50+ Palestinian Communities Since 2022

The Israeli settlement watchdog group Kerem Navot has published a new map with aerial photography documenting the expulsion of 50+ Palestinian communities which have been targeted by settler terrorism. The map contains two aerial photos (one before and one after the expulsion) for each community. 

The need for such a map came into focus after the Palestinian residents of Ras al-Tin left their land under constant threat of violence by the nearby agricultural outpost called Micha’s Farm.  Kerem Navot explains:

“After the expulsion of the residents of Ras Al Tin, we [Kerem Navot] described the event here as unprecedented at that time. What we didn’t know was that this would become a pattern, one that would repeat itself in dozens of other Palestinian communities and settlement clusters in the coming years, reshaping the map of the West Bank.

The “success” of the settlers in Ras Al Tin inspired settlers in other areas of the West Bank to adopt similar methods. During the 15 months between the expulsion of the residents of Ras al-Tin and the massacre on October 7, 2023, five more Palestinian shepherd communities were forcibly removed.

…Even though this violence is primarily carried out by settler gangs, it proceeds without fear or concern for law enforcement authorities. This impunity reflects a clear and consistent policy advanced by successive Israeli governments. Especially the current one, which is more corrupt and racist than its predecessors, aiming to effectively annex increasing parts of the West Bank, devoid of its Palestinian population.”

Settlers Rejoice Over U.S. Election Results

Settlers have been celebrating the election of Donald Trump as the next U.S. President, and Netanyahu was amongst the first foreign leaders to congratulate Trump on his victory. Ben Gvir said in the Knesset that “this is the time for sovereignty, the time for total victory, ” and Israel Ganz (head of the Yesha Council) called for the government to annex the West Bank, posting on X:

“Time for sovereignty! One strong Trump, One Jewish state.”

Mayor of the Beit El settlement, said that Trump’s election heralded “a golden age for settlement” continuing:

“This is an unparalleled opportunity to act with great resolve in the Judea and Samaria region, to put an end to the murderous terrorism here, and to continue Israeli construction widely and extensively in all our territory…This is the time to apply sovereignty to Judea and Samaria and to recognize the region is part of the complete Israel…there will not be two states here between the sea and Jordan.”

Settlers widely hope (and expect) Trump to repeal the Biden Administration’s sanctions against Israeli settlers and settler identities. So far, Biden has sanctioned 14 settlers and 13 settler entities. 

Al-Monitor reports that settler leader Yossi Dagan (head of the Samaria Regional Council) has close ties to the Trump inner circle after making several visits to the U.S. over the past few months – rallying Jewish communities in swing states to vote for Trump. Dagan also campaigned in Israel to get U.S. citizens living there to vote. Dagan told Haaretz:

“A great burden has been lifted, a great weight. The American pressure affected everything regarding security and the settlements. I believe that this pressure will stop or weaken. It’s still too early to know what will change, but it’s clear that the Israeli government won’t be able to come and say that there is American pressure.”

Netanyahu Appoints Kahanist Settler as New Ambassador to the U.S.

Prime Minister Netanyahu has appointed Yechiel Lieter as Israel’s new Ambassador to the United States. Born in the U.S., Lieter is has extreme far-right roots in Israel. He has been active in the settlement movement and lives in the Eli settlement. The Times of Israel reports Lieter was one of the first residents of the Admot Yishai settlement enclave in the city Hebron, and two years later he founded an organization to support more settlement growth there. In his youth, he was active in the Jewish Defense League – a designated terrorist group founded by extremist rabbi Meir Kahane. 

More recently, Lieter served as a senior fellow at the Kohelet Policy Forum (which has played a hugely significant role in shaping Israel’s far-right legislative agenda) and has published articles calling for Israel to annex the West Bank and dismantle the Palestinian Authority. He campaigned against hte Oslo Accords in the 90s.

Haaretz reports that Lieter is close to David Friedman, who served as the U.S. Ambassador to Israel during Trump’s first term.

In a statement on Leiter’s appointment, Hadar Susskind (CEO of Americans for Peace Now) said: 

“Netanyahu has never been subtle, and this appointment is no different. Sending a Kahanist settler to Washington is a clear sign that Netanyahu and his government are moving toward their goal of annexation and doing so openly.”

Bonus Reads

1. “DAWN: Sanction Amana Settlement Organization and Its Leadership for Promoting Settler Violence, Seizing Private Palestinian Land” (DAWN)
2. “​​In Masafer Yatta, our very right to education is under fire” (+972 Magazine)

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.

October 4, 2024

1. U.S. Imposes Sanctions on “Hilltop Youth” Settler Terror Group & Two Individuals
2. Prominent U.S. Senators Call for Biden Admin to Sanction Amana Settler Group
3. Settlers Push Settlement of South Lebanon, Advertising Houses & Calling for Conquest
4. 2024 Olive Harvest Season Set to Begin Amidst Concerns Israel, Settlers Will Prevent Access
5. Bonus Reads

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U.S. Imposes Sanctions on “Hilltop Youth” Settler Terror Group & Two Individuals

On October 1st the United States announced sanctions on the “Hilltop Youth” settler groups along with two individuals – Eitan Yarden and Avichai Suissa.

The violent, extremist, fundamentalist Hilltop Youth settler group  – dubbed the “Jewish ISIS” – operates out of the Yitzhar settlement in the northern region of the West Bank, near Nablus, and there has been no shortage of documentation over the years of their terrorism of Palestinian communities in the region and their involvement in establishing new outposts. The State Department asserted:

“[the Hilltop Youth are] a violent extremist group that has rampaged through Palestinian communities in the West Bank.  It has carried out killings, mass arson, and other so-called “price tag” attacks to exact revenge and intimidate Palestinian civilians.  Hilltop Youth has repeatedly clashed with the Israeli military when it tries to counter Hilltop Youth’s destructive activities.”

The “Hilltop Youth” are not a pariah group at odds with the Israeli state. Last year , +972 Magazine revealed that the IDF had actually created a specific unit for members of the Hilltop Youth and outpost groups to serve in, a unit which has been involved in violent attacks on Palestinians across the Jordan Valley. Further, the IDF recruits members of the Hilltop Youth also recruited to serve in the IDF’s Netzah Yehuda battalion, which has been accused of gross violations of human rights but which the U.S. has decided not enforce its own law against supplying arms to such problematic groups even after a lengthy investigation.

In 2023, Haaretz revealed that the Jewish National Fund has given $1million to organizations which provide support and services to the “Hilltop Youth,” including a project meant to offer professional training to Hilltop Youth (who are mostly highschool dropouts) living in illegal West Bank outposts.

Prominent U.S. Senators Call for Biden Admin to Sanction Amana Settler Group

In a letter to U.S.Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellin dated September 27th, three prominent Democratic Senators called for more sanctions on extremist settlers, specifically calling for the Amana organization to be sanctioned. Unlike the Hilltop Youth (which  the U.S. sanctioned this week), the Amana organization is deeply intertwined with the entire settlement enterprise in both legal and illegal (under Israeli law) ways. Amana is influential in the realm of settler political leadership, very well financed, owns and develops a large portfolio of land in the West Bank for settlements and outposts. Senators wrote:

“Amana has a long and well-documented history of supporting extremist settlers who expropriate Palestinian land and threaten Palestinian landholders, farmers, and shepherds. Amana has played a central role in forming and sustaining hill-top outposts illegal under Israeli law, often by granting loans to bankroll their start. These outposts have since become bases of operation for settler violence against Palestinians, with those resident settlers burning olive groves and homes; stealing livestock; diverting water supplies; blocking roads in and out of villages; and intimidating and threatening villagers from accessing or returning to their land. These outposts contribute to the attacks on and sometimes even killing of Palestinians on their own land or while traveling through the West Bank…We therefore urge you to continue to designate for sanctions those individuals and entities who are undermining peace and stability in the West Bank, to include the Amana organization.”

A U.S. government source told The Times of Israel that Amana has already been considered in past rounds of sanctions. Leaders of Amana have been working hard to dissuade the U.S. from imposing sanctions on the organization, fearing the severe and far-reaching implications U.S. sanctions would have. The Canadian government sanctioned Amana in June, but it is widely understood U.S. sanctions are a standard bearer for the sanctions regimes of EU countries and much more consequential in world banking systems.

Peace Now describes Amana:

“This organization is one of the strongest settler organizations financially, politically, and in terms of its influence on the establishment of settlements and outposts in the Occupied Territories. With assets valued at approximately NIS 600 million, and an annual budget of tens of millions of NIS, Amana is considered the ‘mother and father’ of the illegal outposts, and in recent years also of the illegal agricultural farms that are a major factor in settler violence against Palestinians. Peace Now revealed Amana’s central role in taking over land and in the construction of illegal outposts in our 2017 report ‘Unraveling the Mechanism behind Illegal Outposts’…Amana is also involved in the establishment of farms that have been subject to international sanctions because of violence against Palestinians. For example, Amana was a key partner in the establishment of Meitarim Farm (Yinon Levy’s farm), one of the first to be imposed international sanctions after four communities of hundreds of Palestinians were expelled following violence by settlers who came from the direction of the farm.”

Settlers Push Settlement of South Lebanon, Advertising Houses & Calling for Conquest

The movement to establish Israeli settlements in south Lebanon continues to gain steam in the wake of Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon and orders to evacuate Lebanese towns in the area. 

Middle East Eye reports that the new Israeli settler group – Uri Tzafon – pushing for the Israeli government to settle southern Lebanon has published flyers advertising homes for sale across the Israeli border, in sovereign Lebanese territory. The advertisement reads:

“After the elimination of the Hezbollah leadership…do you also dream of a big house, a view of snowy mountains and a warm community in the land of our ancestors?”

The group has about 3,000 members communicating in a WhatsApp group, offering suggestions to rename Lebanese towns once they are conquered and emptied. Members of the group also sent balloons into Lebanon with threatening messages

A senior rabbi published an op-ed in The Jerusalem Post calling for Israel to conquer southern Lebanon, claiming that it is Israel’s God-given land and saying Lebanese should be expelled from the area.

In a deep dive into Uri Tzafon and the push to settler southern Lebanon, Jewish Currents columnist Maya Rosen writes:

“It is tempting to dismiss Uri Tzafon as fringe. After all, even Israel’s far-right, ultra-nationalist ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir—proponents of war with Hezbollah as well as the military occupation of southern Lebanon—have not yet mentioned civilian settlements. And every policy expert I spoke with agreed that the chance that Israel would actually establish settlements in southern Lebanon is very low. Natasha Roth-Rowland, a scholar of the Israeli far right, explained that there simply isn’t the political will to advance settlements in Lebanon, especially when the Israeli military apparatus is so overstretched. And yet, experts warned me again and again that the movement to settle Lebanon ought not to be discounted lightly. “It’s easy to dismiss, because it’s so far removed from reality,” Makdisi told me. “But I don’t see this as fringe. It’s been in the political imagination forever, and it’s not going to go away.” Roth-Rowland agreed, noting that “there is a fairly well-established track record of even the most fringe parts of the Israeli settler movement becoming not so fringe over a period of decades or even years,” and pointing to the ways that the movement has succeeded in establishing and growing settlements, including, for example, the particularly violent one in the heart of the Palestinian city of Hebron. Many of the unauthorized outposts this movement has created have even been retroactively legalized, pointing to how, in Roth-Rowland’s words, “settlers have made political gains over the last several decades by outflanking the government from the right and forcing concessions.” In this context, experts noted that the mainstreaming of a group like Uri Tzafon could be more feasible than it first appears. “That’s how the settlement movement started,” said Israeli settlement historian Akiva Eldar. “They planted seeds, which grew into trees, which grew into a jungle.”

2024 Olive Harvest Season Set to Begin Amidst Concerns Israel, Settlers Will Prevent Access

The Israeli government is poised to block the beginning of the Palestinian olive harvest season from beginning. OCHA reports that the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture announced that the annual olive harvest will begin on October 10th, but Israeli authorities – which police Palestinians’ access to their agricultural lands in Area C and in the Seam Zone – have set a later  dates for olive harvest, with dates between October 3 and 28 for different governorates across the West Bank. OCHA further reports:

“Initial reports suggest that, unlike 2023, Israeli authorities intend to allow farmers to gain access to their lands behind the Barrier, while access to lands near Israeli settlements remains uncertain.”

The human rights group HaMoked has led legal efforts to compel the Israeli army to permit Palestinians to access their privately owned land in the Seam Zone, the land between the 1967 Green Line and the Israeli-built Separation Barrier), and is currently engaged in litigation with the state on this matter. On October 1st, the State submitted its second response to HaMoked’s petition to provide access to agricultural lands, in which the State said that it intends to open the Seam Zone gates at the end of October or beginning of November, “subject to a situational security assessment.” These dates are well past the start of the olive harvest. 

HaMoked further reports:

“the State also made clear that permits will be granted on an individual basis, again subject to security assessments, in order to ‘prevent acts of terrorism.’ In previous years, over 10,000 Palestinians (extended families as well as hired workers) took part in harvesting olives on lands beyond the Separation Barrier. We know from years of experience that it takes weeks, at best, for Palestinians to navigate the Civil Administration’s very cumbersome permit application procedure. In short, the State’s response only strengthens our concern that they intend to allow only a very minimal olive harvest beyond the Barrier.

It is disappointing but not surprising that the State remains unwilling to allow Palestinian farmers to access their own lands on de facto annexed territory. There are many pressing issues facing Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories at this time. All the same, we want to ensure that in this chaotic time, the economic and food security, livelihoods, and centuries-old traditions of Palestinian farmers are not neglected.”

On September 25, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights called on Israeli authorities to ensure the safety of Palestinian farmers and access to their lands, emphasizing the need to prevent a recurrence of last year’s restrictions and violence that devastated livelihoods.

OCHA writes:

“The annual olive harvest season is a key economic, social and cultural event for Palestinians. Last year’s harvest was particularly challenging due to significant movement restrictions and violence by Israeli forces and Israeli settlers that followed the 7 October attack on Israel. More than 96,000 dunums of olive-cultivated lands across the West Bank remained unharvested due to Israeli restrictions on Palestinian access. Consequently, according to the Food Security Sector, Palestinian farmers suffered an estimated total loss of more than 1,200 metric tons of olive oil in the 2023 season, resulting in a direct financial setback of US$10 million. The impact was particularly harsh in the northern governorates of Tulkarm, Qalqiliya and Nablus.

Access restrictions and widespread settler violence pose high risks and challenges for farmers during the olive harvest season, potentially undermining their livelihoods. The Protection Cluster, led by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), in coordination with OCHA, the Food Security Sector and humanitarian partners are preparing to support Palestinian farmers by providing coordinated protective presence in identified hotspots, documenting incidents of violence, and advocating for people’s rights during the season. Moreover, as part of its emergency response mechanism and 48-hour rapid response, the occupied Palestinian territory Humanitarian Fund (oPt HF) has allocated US$750,000 to support two local partners in preparation for the upcoming olive harvest season. These partners are implementing projects aimed at strengthening the resilience of farmers in rural communities. The specific objectives of these projects include the provision of essential tools and equipment, cleaning olive groves to reduce fire risks and prevent losses and improving olive oil storage facilities to ensure higher food quality.”

Bonus Reads

1. “Raised Stakes on All Fronts” (Geneva Intiative’s Two State Index)
2. “In the occupied West Bank, Palestinians struggle to access water” (NPR)

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.

September 27, 2024

1. High Court Denies Request to Allow Zanuta to be Even Minimally Rehabilitate Village After Settler Destruction
2. Bimkom Report on Outpost Retroactive Authorization
3. Israeli Groups Release Report on Annexation
4. U.S. Congress Votes to Advance Bill that Labels Settlements As Israel, Greenlighting Annexation
5. Bonus Reads

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High Court Denies Request to Allow Zanuta to be Even Minimally Rehabilitate Village After Settler Destruction

On September 18th, the human rights group Haqel filed an urgent appeal to the Israel High Court of Justice on behalf of the residents of Zanuta seeking permission to undertake minor construction in order to make the village inhabitable again. Settlers damaged, destroyed, and ransacked every building in the village after residents fled the village on October 28, 2023 under rampant and unmitigated settler terrorism. 

In response, the Court said the residents are not allowed to undertake any building in their village because the entire area is an Israeli-designated archaeological site. When Haqel submitted its appeal it had included an expert legal opinion, including an archaeological expert who informed the Court that there is no archaeological obstacle to allowing the residents to rebuild structures to status quo ante. The opinion – which is signed by five renowned Israeli international law experts – goes on to conclude “we are of the opinion that the actions taken by the authorities towards the residents of the village of Zenuta constitute a forcible transfer of the residents from their village.”

In past hearings, the Court has suggested to the residents of Zanuta that in light of their plight and the prohibition on building in their village, they have the option to move to a new area of land approximately 2.5km north, a patch of land that abuts the borders of Areas A and B – – a convenient location for the State of Israel and its settlers who have moved to annex Area C and clear it of Palestinians. 

Breaking the Silence said in a statement:

“The case of Khirbet Zanuta holds enormous symbolic importance in that the success or failure of the residents’ return will set an important precedent for many of the other villages that have been forcibly expelled. We urge stakeholders and people in positions of influence in the international community to act decisively, to apply pressure to the Israeli authorities with regards to allowing for reconstruction of the village (with the pre-October status quo as the relevant reference point for ‘new’ construction) without fear of the authorities demolishing homes or confiscating equipment, as well as law enforcement against the violent settlers who are intent on making it impossible for residents to live there.”

Bimkom Report on Outpost Retroactive Authorization

Bimkom: Planners for Human Rights released a report this past February entitled, “Connection to infrastructure and establishment of public buildings in outposts included in legalization processes.” The report dismantles any notion of legality behind the Israeli governments stated plan to retroactively authorize 70 outposts, as announced in February 2024. Bimkom also surveys its legal, planning, and economic consequences. Bimkom writes:

“It [the report] shows that the planning procedure is nothing more than a cover for de facto regularization of the outposts, since in the vast majority of cases the most basic conditions for advancing regularization are not met.”

Israeli Groups Release Report on Annexation

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel, Breaking the Silence, Ofek, and Yesh Din’ just published an English translation of its July 2024 report, “A Silent Takeover: Changing the Nature of Israeli Control of the West Bank.” It’s summary reads:

“The Government of Israel is methodically implementing a strategy designed to achieve the political vision of applying full Israeli sovereignty to the West Bank, while establishing a reality of Jewish supremacy and forcing the Palestinians living in the Area into to the smallest possible geographical space. 

Many of the government’s steps alter the face of the West Bank and the structure of Israeli control there, including:

 > Appointing MK Smotrich as the Additional Minister in the Ministry of Defense and transferring broad powers from the Military Commander to MK Smotrich

 > Approving immense budgets for expanding the Israeli settlements in the West Bank and improving infrastructure and quality of life there

 > Retroactively authorizing Israeli outposts

 > Declaring state land and nature preserves

 > Denying settler violence and not enforcing the law

 > Abusing Palestinian communities, leading to their forced expulsion from their homes.

This current government is stripping off the mask that Israeli governments have insofar worn. For years, it presented Israel as a regime in the Occupied Palestinian Territories that upholds the legal obligations incumbent upon it in the West Bank, and whose administration’s decisions are subject to judicial review by the Israeli Supreme Court. The government’s policy now openly seeks to apply Israeli sovereignty and reinforce Jewish supremacy in the West Bank.”

U.S. Congress Votes to Advance Bill that Labels Settlements As Israel, Greenlighting Annexation

FMEP’s Lara Friedman reports that the U.S. House of Representatives has voted to pass a bill that calls for the U.S. to label any/all products from coming from Israeli settlement as “Made in Israel.” Called the “Anti-BDS Labeling Act” (HR 5179) the bill gives a greenlight to Israel’s de facto annexation of the settlements. It passed by a vote of 231-189, with all Republicans plus 16 Democrats voting in favor.

HR 5179 was introduced by Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY), who was visited by a delegation of Israeli advocates headed by Yossi Dagan, the head of a settler regional council and longtime pro-settlement advocate. In press coverage of the meeting, Israel Hayom reports that Tenney and Dagan agreed to collaborate on advancing another bill, which Tenney introduced in March 2024, that would mandate the U.S. government to adopt “Judea and Samaria” as official terminology instead of “West Bank.”  That bill, according to Friedman, has seen no action since it was introduced.

Opposing HR5179, Rep. Nadler (D-NY) – posted a video on X saying:

“This bill isn’t about combatting BDS—it’s about attempting to green light Israeli annexation of Area C of the West Bank and undermining the Biden-Harris’ Administration’s delicate negotiations to end the Israel-Hamas war.”

Friedman explains:

“As has always been the case in this battle over how to label the place-of-origin of settlement products, the argument behind HR 5179 boils down to: (1) if people know that a product was produced in a settlement, some will likely choose NOT to buy the product, in a decision that reflects their personal opposition to Israeli occupation/settlements; (2) such an action by an individual consumer, as an expression of their own deeply-held values, is a form of BDS and as such is antisemitic, anti-Israel; (3) the U.S. government, as part of its support for its ally Israel, must implement policies that in effect establish special place-of-origin rules for Israel [i.e., hold Israel to a different standard than the rest of the world] that protect Israel/settlements; (4) These Israel-specific rules-of-origin must ensure that U.S. consumers who might want to make an informed decision with respect to purchasing or not purchasing settlement products are prevented from doing so — in this case, by depriving them of accurate place-of-origin data; and (5) Failure to implement/enact policies that in effect prevent US consumers making informed decisions with respect to whether or not they wish to purchase settlements products is antisemitic, anti-Israel, and a form of BDS.”

Bonus Reads

1. “The U.S. Must Sanction Israel’s Messianic Ministers – and American Jews Should Welcome It” (Haaretz)
2. “Movement and Access in the West Bank | September 2024” (OCHA)