Settlement & Annexation Report: January 30, 2026

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January 30, 2026

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January 30, 2026

West Bank Settlements & Outposts: More Funding for Settler-Only Roads; Expanded Settler Access to Joseph’s Tomb, Soil Smuggling, and More
Settler Terrorism: Pogrom in Masafer Yatta, Displacement in Sinjil, and More
Bonus Reads

West Bank Settlements & Outposts

Israel Allocated More Funds for New Roads & More for Settlers

Peace Now reports that the Israeli government approved some 550 million shekels ($177.97 million) for the “reinforcement of security components,” most of which will be directed to the West Bank. The funds will be used for paving new settler security roads, upgrades to bus stations and armored buses, and new security features for settlements like fences, lighting, gates, cameras, and sensors.

The Palestine Chronicle further reports that part of the budget will be used for the construction of Route 45 (aka the “Quarry Road”), a settler-only bypass road that would connect settlements south of Ramallah to Jerusalem. Israel expropriated Palestinian land in January 2025 to allow for the construction of this road.

Peace Now said in a statement:

“Under the pretext of “security components,” the government has already invested hundreds of millions of shekels in illegal outposts and violent settler farms in the occupied territories. It is now seeking to further expand this budget, deepening Israel’s security and economic entanglement in the occupied territories. It is now clear to all — especially after Oct. 7 — that the settlements constitute a security and economic burden on Israel, yet the government continues to serve only its settler base.”

For the First Time in 25 Years, Settlers Allowed Morning Prayers Joseph’s Tomb

Israeli Defense Minister Katz agreed to allow settlers to perform morning prayers at Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus for the first time in 25 years. Joseph’s Tomb is a holy site for Jews and cultural site for Palestinians, located in the heart of Nablus. The site has long been a flashpoint for violence because the Tomb (and entrance to it) requires settlers to pass through very densely populated Palestinian neighborhoods.

On January 29th, Israeli ministers and settler leaders led a group of 1,500 people under a heavy security escort to Joseph’s Tomb. In 2000 during the Second Intifada, Israeli officials restricted Israeli access to the site to nighttime hours in hopes of minimizing conflict.

Israel is Trucking Soil from Tel Aviv to West Bank to Build New Outposts & Settlements

Kerem Navot told Haaretz that Israeli trucks are smuggling a large amount of soil from Tel Aviv construction sites to the West Bank in order to prepare the land for the expansion of at least two outposts. The soil has been transferred reportedly without the permission of the Israeli Civil Administration, and is apparently a widespread phenomenon in part because environmental regulations in the West Bank and relaxed (and bent to favor Israeli interests) and because Israel lacks regulated sites where excess construction debris can be deposited.

There has been increased construction at the two outposts, Havat Tzurim and Shacharit, preparing for what Haaretz calls “the outposts’ emerging farm operations.” Schacharit was granted retroactive legalization by the Israeli government in 2023 along with 9 others outposts, but Havat Tzurim remains illegal under Israeli law. None of the current construction is legal.

Haaretz reports:

“Settlers often frame the establishment of outposts and farms as a means of protecting nature and preserving landscapes from damage allegedly caused by the activity of Palestinians, such as overgrazing and illegal hunting. However, the dumping of excess soil increases the risk of waste contaminants seeping into groundwater reservoirs, which communities rely on for drinking and irrigation, while road construction and other land preparation activities increase the risk of erosion, flooding and other runoff issues.”

More from the West Bank

IDF seizes thousands of dunams from a village near Hebron.
VIDEO: “How Israel is planning to build an ‘apartheid road’” (Guardian News, 1/27/2026)
“Israeli forces raid Hebron city and surrounding towns, turn building into military outpost” (Wafa News, 1/29/2026)

SETTLER TERRORISM

Settler & IDF Pogrom in South Hebron Hills

On January 27th a large group of settlers under IDF escort carried out a large-scale, coordinated pogrom on three villages in the Masafer Yatta region of the South Hebron Hills. The settlers moved from one village to another, setting fire to Palestinians property, stealing livestock, spraying teargas inside of homes, and horrifically terrorizing residents. Two Palestinians were severely assaulted by settlers, one severely beaten with clubs and an elderly woman had her arm broken. After the attack, two Palestinian and zero Israelis were arrested by the IDF.

In a separate incident on January 26th, settlers destroyed 500 trees in the nearby village of Susiya.

Sinjil Residents Threat of Forced Displacement, Marking New Heights of Settler Terror

Haaretz reports that 15 families have recently been forced to leave their homes located on the periphery of the town of Sinjil under settler terror. Sinjil, unlike the many bedouin and pastoral communities that have been forcibly displaced under settler terror over the past two years, is a large town with 8,000 people. Residents tell Haaretz settlers from surrounding outposts first began to trespass on their land in 2022, and it has only escalated since – causing many families to leave.

In Area B, Outpost Settlers Attack Qusra, Atara, Bir Zeit

Settlers from a newly established outpost near Nablus carried out several attacks on Palestinians in the surrounding area. The outpost is located deep in Area B (the vast majority of settlements and outposts are in Area C), and Haaretz reports that this new outpost is “the deepest so far within territories under Palestinian jurisdiction.” Settlers are expanding the outpost, and have brought in a large herd of sheep to take over grazing land. The IDF claims to have evacuated the outpost previously, but local residents report the outpost was quickly reestablished by settlers.

On January 23rd a group of at least 10 masked settlers from the new outpost attacked the village of Qusra, firing live rounds towards Palestinians and carrying clubs.

On January 25th settlers set fire to vehicles in nearby Atara village, and spray painted hateful messages.

Earlier on the same day, settlers were filmed in an olive grove in the nearby village of Beir Zeit, and settlers reportedly attacked a 60-year old woman and her son who tried to assist her.