Tel Aviv, MINA – Israel’s Security Cabinet has approved a plan to establish 13 new illegal settlements in the central occupied West Bank, drawing strong condemnation from Palestinian officials who warned the move would further fragment Palestinian territory and deepen the isolation of East Jerusalem, Anadolu Agency reports.
According to Israel’s Channel 7, the settlements will be built in the Binyamin regional area, with the first phase of construction expected to begin in the coming months.
The report said the Binyamin Regional Council plans to establish between four and six settlements in the initial stage of the project, supported by investments worth millions of shekels.
The Jerusalem Governorate condemned the decision, describing it as part of a broader Israeli strategy to expand illegal settlements and sever East Jerusalem from the rest of the occupied West Bank.
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In a statement, the governorate said the plan aims to create new geographical realities, particularly in areas northwest of Jerusalem, west of the Ramallah and Al-Bireh governorates, and along the eastern slopes leading to the Jordan Valley.
It added that the first phase would include not only the construction of four to six new settlements but also the legalization of several existing settlement outposts through government funding and infrastructure support.
The governorate linked the acceleration of settlement expansion to Israel’s domestic political considerations ahead of upcoming elections.
Palestinian officials warned that the plan represents a dangerous escalation that would strengthen Israeli control over Palestinian land, further divide the occupied West Bank, and isolate Jerusalem, undermining prospects for a geographically contiguous Palestinian state.
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They also described the settlement expansion as a violation of international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, calling on the international community to take action to halt Israeli settlement policies.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Center for Israeli Studies (Madar) reported that the pace of settlement outpost expansion has accelerated sharply in recent years. According to the center, the annual average rose from eight outposts between 2012 and 2022 to 32 in 2023, 62 in 2024, and 86 during 2025.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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