Israel Approves Construction of 13 New Settlements in West Bank

Israel's Security Cabinet has approved plans for the construction of 13 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, a decision that Palestinian officials warn will further divide the territory and isolate East Jerusalem from surrounding Palestinian communities.

The new settlements are slated for the Binyamin regional area, one of Israel's largest settlement blocs in the West Bank. This region lies along Route 60, a major highway connecting Palestinian cities like Nablus, Ramallah, and Bethlehem, and also provides access to several major Israeli settlements. The first phase of the project is expected to begin within months, with the Regional Council of Binyamin planning to build four to six new settlements initially, backed by millions of shekels in investment.

According to Palestinian officials, the plan also involves legalizing several existing informal settlement outposts. Once legalized, these outposts will receive government funding and infrastructure development. The project reportedly focuses on two main corridors: the northwestern area of Jerusalem and the western Ramallah region along Route 60, as well as an area extending east towards the Jordan Valley. Palestinian authorities view this as an attempt to create a new "geographical reality on the ground."

Palestinian officials argue that this settlement expansion will hinder the prospects for establishing a geographically contiguous Palestinian state. Reports indicate a sharp increase in the construction of settlement outposts in recent years. Data from the Palestinian Center for Israeli Studies (Madar) shows a significant rise, from an average of eight outposts per year between 2012-2022 to 62 in 2024 and 86 in 2025. This surge is accompanied by increased Israeli government funding, with allocations rising from 28 million shekels in 2023 to 75 million shekels in 2024 for a total of 70 settlement outposts.

The announcement comes amid reports that pro-settlement groups are preparing to expand their activities into Area A of the West Bank, which is under the full control of the Palestinian Authority according to the Oslo Accords. This move is seen by Palestinians as a further erosion of their territorial control and a significant obstacle to peace.