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

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East Jerusalem Settlement News

• “The Cabinet Decided to Build the Road that will Close the Heart of the West Bank to Palestinians” (Peace Now, 3/30/25). Also see:
  • “Some follow-up observations in the wake of the Israeli Government decision to complete the Apartheid/Fabric of Life Sovereignty Road.” (Daniel Seidemann via X, 3/31/25)
  • “Hamas slams Israeli settlement road project near occupied East Jerusalem” (Middle East Eye, 3/30/25)
• “Israel Poised to Advance Next Week Six Settlement Plans in East Jerusalem in One Day” (Ir Amim, 4/2/25)

West Bank Settlement News

• “Since Trump’s Election: Unprecedented Surge in Settlement Plan Approvals” (Peace Now, 3/24/35)
• “The Cabinet Establishes 13 Official Settlements” (Peace Now, 3/23/25). Peace Now except: “This morning it was reported that the Security Cabinet decided last night to establish a new administration in the Defense Ministry tasked with enabling Palestinians to “voluntarily” leave the Gaza Strip, and to “split 13 settlements in Judea and Samaria.” Since the Security Cabinet’s decisions are confidential, the text of the decision itself was not published, but publications indicate that it concerns granting independent status to settlements that already exist and operate as independent settlements, but until now have been considered “neighborhoods” of existing settlements, in order to avoid public and international criticism. This makes the number of officially recognized settlements 140, instead of 127.” Also reported by: Reuters, The Times of Israel, JNS.
• “In response to HaMoked petition: The State informs the Court of its intention to make permanent the sweeping ban on entry of farmers into the ‘Seam Zone’” (HaMoked, 3/9/25)
• “Settlers Occupied a Palestinian House in Hebron” (Peace Now, 3/24/25). Also reported by: Middle East Monitor.
• “Mapping how Israel’s land grabs are reshaping the occupied West Bank” (Al Jazeera, 3/30/25)
• “Knesset Committee Considers Extending Israeli Antiquities Governance to Areas A and B as well as C” (Emek Shaveh, 3/23/25)
• “Judea and Samaria leaders urge government to restore Jewish presence at Joseph’s Tomb” (JNS, 3/31/25)
• “Meta profits as ads promote illegal Israeli settlements in West Bank” (Al Jazeera, 3/31/25)
• “Humanitarian Situation Update #276 | West Bank” (OCHA, 3/27/25)
• “The many ways Israeli settlers steal Palestinian homes” (Al Jazeera, 3/28/25)
• “The Gazafication of the West Bank: ‘Is This Really Happening Again?’” (Zeteo, 3/2/25)
• Settler violence and lawlessness:
  • “17 Israelis arrested for violent rioting, burning police car in West Bank” (Haaretz, 4/3/25)
  • “Israeli settlers attacked this Palestinian village — then came back in army uniform” (+972 Magazine, 4/2/25)
  • “Editorial | Pogromists Rule the West Bank” (Haaretz, 4/2/25)
  • “Palestinians Report Three Wounded After Dozens of Settlers Raid West Bank Village” (Haaretz, 4/1/25)
  • “ISA arrests security coordinator from Judea and Samaria” (Arutz Sheva, 4/2/25)

Gaza “Resettlement” News

• “Security Cabinet approves ‘voluntary departure’ plan for Gazans, divides West Bank settlements” (Ynet, 3/23/25)
• “The Last Chapter of the Genocide” (Chris Hedges in Mondoweiss, 3/23/25)

Israeli Politics

• “Bezalel Smotrich temporarily resigns from Cabinet posts amid coalition rift” (Ynet, 3/31/25)
• “Israeli Archaeological Congress Cancelled After Heritage Minister Calls to Bar Emek Shaveh Chair Prof. Rafi Greenberg” (Emek Shaveh, 4/4/25)
• “Organizers Cancel Israeli Archaeology Conference After Far-right Minister Demands Removal of Speaker” (Haaretz, 3/3/25)

New Reports

• “49 Years After Land Day: Mass Expulsion in the Naqab Unfolding” (Adalah, 3/28/25)
• “World Water Day: Deprivation of Water and destruction of water installations are tools of Israel’s Genocide against the Palestinian people” (Al-Haq, 3/24/25)
• “A Decolonial Analysis of Israel’s Actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories” (Oğuzhan Öztürk, Law and Justice Review, 2025)