DayofPal—Israel has re-established a settlement in the Palestinian village of Sanur in the occupied West Bank, two decades after it was dismantled during the 2005 disengagement.
Thos comes after senior ministers renewed calls for expanding settlements and deepening control over Palestinian territories.
The move, announced during a ceremony attended by Defence Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, comes amid a sharp acceleration in settlement expansion since the outbreak of the Gaza war in 2023.
The Israeli government has also approved plans to rebuild three additional West Bank settlements removed in 2005. Officials framed the decision as a historic reversal, while Smotrich described it as a “national holiday” and a correction of what he called a past “expulsion”.
The far-right minister further urged the re-establishment of settlements in Gaza, proposing the creation of a “security belt” for Israel.
Palestinian officials condemned the move as a dangerous escalation. Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi said it reflects a broader push toward annexation and full control over Palestinian land in the West Bank.
Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are considered illegal under international law. Around 700,000 settlers currently live in approximately 300 settlements across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, all built since Israel occupied the territories in 1967.
The announcement comes alongside a surge in settlement activity and settler violence. Earlier this month, Israel reportedly approved a record number of new settlements, while rights groups have documented rising attacks by settlers on Palestinian communities, including arson, shootings, and property destruction.
According to the United Nations, more than 36,000 Palestinians were displaced in the West Bank between November 2024 and October 2025 due to escalating attacks.
Over 1,700 incidents involving settler attacks causing casualties or damage were recorded during the same period.
Shortlink for this post: https://daysofpalestine.ps/?p=74034
