Settlement & Annexation Report: October 2, 2026

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

October 2, 2026

  1. WEST BANK: E-1 Tender Postponed; Five New Settlements Inaugurated; Fourth Village in Masafer Yatta Demolished
  2. INTERNATIONAL SCENE: UN Updates Business Database; U.S. Legislation Related to Israeli Settlements
  3. STATE-BACKED SETTLER TERROR: 150 Settlers Violently Prevent Return of Family to Home in Jalud
  4. BONUS READS

New from FMEP:

  • “The Elimination Project:” Israel’s Effort to Systematically Dismantle Palestinian Collective Life” (10/1/2026). FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with B’Tselem Executive Director Yuli Novak about B’Tselem’s newest report, “The Elimination Project,” which “looks at the current reality not as a collection of isolated incidents or specific harms, but as part of a comprehensive mechanism of elimination that works to dismantle the conditions for continued Palestinian existence in the West Bank, while deepening Jewish control and supremacy in an irreversible manner.” Yuli and Ahmed discuss the report, which draws from more than 2,000 interviews with Palestinians since October 2023 as well as three decades of B’Tselem’s work in the West Bank. They also talk about growing incitement to violence and the upcoming Israeli elections.

WEST BANK

Date for E-1 Tender Decision Postponed by Israeli AG

Israel’s Attorney General has delayed by one month the date on which the first tender for the construction of the E-1 settlement can be awarded, stopping the decision from being made until after the upcoming Israel elections scheduled for October 27th. The AG had originally suspended the tender process, but quickly changed her instructions so that companies may continue to submit bids on the project during this window, only delaying the decision date. 

Jerusalem expert Daniel Seidemann warns this change is in fact a reversal:

“By deferring the bidding period by “a month or so,” [the AG] opened a thin crack that would allow a new government to reconsider the plan, and no forward movement by an interim government. Not huge but significant.

Today, under pressure, she reversed her decision so that the bids can be submitted, but only opened after the elections. That in essence is a reversal. At 00:01 on [October] 28 Smotrich will open those bids and we will have reached the point of no return.”

As a reminder, there are two tenders currently open for bidding that will, if awarded, result in the construction of the E-1 settlement. The second tender is set to open on October 25th and close after the elections. This tender was not affected by the AG’s instructions.

 

Five New Settlements Inaugurated This Week

Continuing the flood of inaugurations for newly approved settlements, over the past week Israeli officials attended ceremonies marking the opening of five new settlements.

On September 27th, a ceremony was held in the South Hebron Hills marking the establishment of four new settlements in the area: Makeda and Karmei Yehudah (where settlers have already taken up residence) and Meged and Maale Einav, where settlers plan to move in to soon. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, Science Minister Gila Gamliel, and Settlements Minister Orit Strock all attended the event, showing the full support of the government to the rapid expansion of settlements.

On September 23rd, government officials attended a ceremony at the newly established settlement of Mezoke Eretz (formerly called the Netzah Harel outpost), located near the Palestinian city of Jericho in the Jordan Valley. The outpost was build on privately owned Palestinian land belonging, and its establishment directly resulted in the displacement of the Mu’arrajat al-Markaz bedouin community. 

The current government has approved the establishment, or retroactive legalization, of 104 new settlements over its four-year term, almost doubling the number of formally approved settlements in the West Bank. The new Mezoke Eretz settlement is one of 19 new settlements the Israeli government has legalized since 2022 that have directly resulted in the expulsion of nearby Palestinian communities.

 

Fourth Village Demolished in Masafer Yatta

For a fourth time this month, Israeli forces have completely demolished a community, Jinba, in the Masafer Yatta region of the South Hebron Hills. The destruction left 180 Palestinians homeless.

Jinba is one of 12 villages located in the Israeli-designated Firing Zone 918, all of which are slated for expulsion. In recent weeks, Israel has demolished four villages leaving 285 people homeless: Khirbet al-Fakheit, Khirbet Al-Taban, and now Jinba. Israel’s efforts to remove all residents from the Firing Zone area, if fulfilled, would be a war crime of forcible transfer.

 

STATE-BACKED SETTLER TERRORISM

It is nearly impossible to keep up with the scale and impact of settler attacks terrorizing the entire West Bank, which is only likely to continue to increase as the olive harvest season begins and the Israeli government is proving unable and unwilling to change its approach to organized settler violence. Indeed, Smotrich has called for “war” on Palestinians in the West Bank.

Breaking the Silence writes:

“At this very moment, the IDF is imposing a closure on the entire West Bank, which severely restricts Palestinian movement for “preventing terror.” And yet, actual terrorists are free to come and go. Even after committing a pogrom, the vast majority of them, if not all, will never be held accountable and will continue to terrorise Palestinians. Why? Because the state backs it”

150 Settler Riot Prevents Return of Palestinians to Jalud Home

A gang of more than 100 settlers attacked a Palestinian family attempting to return to their home in Jalud, following a court order instructing the IDF to facilitate their return. Settlers set fire to the family’s car, threw stones at the building and invaded the home while the Tubassi family was still inside. While under ongoing attack by a group of 150 settlers, 15 IDF soldiers had to remove the family from their home, and get them to safety. Settlers then set the home on fire. IDF soldiers were injured by settlers during the riot. Three settlers were detained.  In July this year, the Toubassis family had been forcibly displaced from their home in Jalud, located near Nablus, under repeated, violent settler attacks.

The massive attack drew condemnation across the Israeli political spectrum, with Netanyahu claiming the attack was led by a “small number” of settlers (Haaretz estimates 150 took part).

 

INTERNATIONAL SCENE

United Nations Adds 61 Businesses to Settlement Database

The United Nations added 61 companies to its database of businesses involved in building, maintaining, securing, and servicing Israeli settlements in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. The new companies are based in 11 countries: Israel, South Africa, China, USA, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Spain, France, UK, Germany, and Mexico. Five companies were removed from the list, so now there is now a total of 214 companies listed, of which 204 are based in Israel. Details on the 61 companies can be found here.

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. 

The database was last updated in September 2025.

 

Democrats Introduce Bills Upping Pressure, Scrutiny on Israeli Settlements

Several measures have been introduced in the U.S. Congress over the past month focusing on Israeli settlement activity. Full ongoing coverage of U.S  legislation, please subscribe to Lara Friedman’s Weekly Legislative Round-Up. 

From Lara’s reporting, the bills are critical of Israeli settlements are:

  1. FAR-REACHING, MANDATORY SANCTIONS ON ISRAEL FOR SETTLEMENT ACTIVITY) HR XXXX [bill text]: On 9/30/26, Representative Castro (D-CA) issues a press release – Castro, Dean, Beyer, Casar, Jacobs, Escobar to Introduce Sanctions on Drivers of Settlement Expansion. As of this writing, the bill does not yet show up in the Congressional Record.  Per the press release, the bill has at least 41 cosponsors (listed by name), and is being supported by: J Street; New Jewish Narrative; IMEU; American Committee for Middle East Rights; A New Policy; Center for International Policy; Friends Committee on National Legislation; Refugees International; and Win Without War. Also see: one-pager explaining the bill. See sponsoring members’ websites and social media accounts for statements.
  2. (FAR-REACHING SANCTIONS ON ISRAELIS FOR E-1 CONSTRUCTION) S. 5476 [bill text]: Introduced 9/23/26 by Senator Coons (D-DE) and 18 Democratic cosponsors (42% of Senate Democrats), “A bill to impose sanctions with respect to foreign persons that have facilitated Israeli settlement construction in the E1 area of the West Bank.” Referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. This bill would require the imposition of MANDATORY, far-reaching sanctions aimed at Israeli government officials and foreign (non-U.S.) private sector actors — including banks, investors, construction/development companies, and government officials (and establish additional discretionary sanctions other parties related to their role in E1 construction). Notably: the sanctions under this bill would NOT apply to US persons — meaning dual-national Israeli-Americans are exempted, as well as non-dual national Americans who may play a role in E1 construction. Also worth noting: the bill repeatedly references “the E1 area of the West Bank” but never defines, as a matter of law, the actual area the term applies to (“E1 is NOT an internationally recognized/defined geographic area. The term E1 is, as noted by the New York Times, “a bureaucratic designation for planning and zoning purposes, with the ‘E’ standing for ‘east of Jerusalem.’”).
  3. WE NEED ANSWERS RE: WEST BANK VIOLENCE) S. Res. 852 [resolution text]: Introduced 9/14/26 by Van Hollen (D-MD) and having 25 cosponsors (24 Democrats plus Sanders, I-VT), “A resolution requesting information on Israel’s human rights practices pursuant to section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.”  Rejected on the Senate floor 9/29/26 by a vote of 47-51, with all Democrats but Fetterman (D-VA) voting YES, and all Republicans but Paul (R-KY) voting NO [note that this was a procedural vote – a vote to discharge the resolution from the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations – that in the case was, in effect, an up-down vote on the underlying resolution].

There is also one notable bill introduced in the U.S. Congress pushing for normalization of Israeli settlements (copied from Lara Friedman’s reporting):

  1. (UNIVERSITIES MUST COOPERATE WITH GREATER ISRAEL – OR ELSE!) HR 4795: Introduced 7/29/25 by Foxx (R-NC) and Gottheimer (D-NJ), “To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit an institution that participates in a nonexpressive commercial boycott of Israel from being eligible for certain funds under that Act, to require an institution that participates in certain programs under that Act to certify that students are not unreasonably obstructed from participating in academic programs in Israel, and for other purposes.” As previously reported in the Round-Up, HR 4795 was passed by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce 6/25/26, and reported out of the Committee on Education and Workforce on 8/27/26 with a report – H. Rept. 119-780. PASSED BY THE HOUSE 9/3/26 by a roll call vote of 237-169, with 33 Democrats voting YES and 2 Republicans voting NO. 

 

Bonus Reads

  1. “Settlers divert West Bank spring waters as Israel pushes heritage site takeovers” (Times of Israel, 9/26/2026)
  2. “King of the Hills: how one man is reshaping the West Bank” (Ynet, 9/28/2026)
  3. “The ‘gray arm’ of Israeli annexation” (+972 Magazine, 9/26/2026)
  4. “Under Siege: The West Bank After October 7” (Al-Shabaka, 9/23/2026)
  5. “The 2026 Israeli Elections: Consolidation of Annexation Policies, Repression, and Forced Displacement in the Occupied West Bank” (Balasan Initiative, 9/29/2026)
  6. “For Palestinians, Being an Israeli Citizen Doesn’t Mean You’re Safe From Settlers” (Haaretz, 9/30/2026)
  7. “Israeli settlers target a Ramallah road, and the city’s future with it” (Mondoweiss, 10/2/2026)
  8. “A U.S. Jewish Fund’s Ambitious Bid to Put a Settler Elite in Control of Israel’s Security” (Haaretz, 10/1/2026)
  9. “Israeli passengers stopped, searched at Dutch airport as West Bank import crackdown begins” (Jerusalem Post, 8/27/2026)