Israeli occupation authorities have initiated an extensive settlement offensive to take over the remaining territories in the West Bank and surrounding Palestinians within their cities and villages.
According to Mohammed Sabhah, a researcher in Israeli affairs, the current Israeli government is an expert in settlements, and that the settlement leaders within it have prepared settlement projects before coming to power.
Sabhah clarified that the Israeli occupation government is carrying out an unprecedented wave of settlement activity through various projects, all aimed at significantly increasing the number of settlers residing on West Bank territories.
He highlighted that the ‘extremist’ Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich has crafted a blueprint for developing and establishing 155 settlements and related projects within a span of two years.
Sabhah further stated that Smotrich has put forth an all-encompassing settlement scheme designed to appropriate substantial portions of the West Bank.
Substantial Leap in Settlement Development
Apart from Smotrich’s proposal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has crafted a long-term initiative envisioning a significant transformation in the settlement landscape, aiming to increase the settler population notably, particularly in Jerusalem. The overarching ambition is to achieve a million settlers through an extensive and ambitious scheme.
Sabah mentioned that the Netanyahu administration has earmarked 3.2 billion shekels for the appropriation of tens of thousands of dunams, the establishment of sizable settlement towns in the West Bank, linked by expansive roadways, railway systems, and even an airport, all at the expense of lands belonging to the local populace.
Read more: Israeli Cabinet Greenlights $843 Million for Illegal Settlements in Jerusalem
Sabah cautioned that these endeavors harbor multiple objectives, including the fragmentation of the West Bank, the establishment of fortified settlement bastions across its entirety, and the isolation of cities and villages from one another, purportedly to enhance security conditions for the occupation forces.
Unprecedented Figures
From the start of the present year, the occupation’s government has advanced proposals for the establishment of 12,885 settlement residences within the West Bank.
Among these initiatives, the most substantial were centered around the Ma’ale Adumim settlement, situated east of occupied Jerusalem, where 1,475 units gained approval. Similarly, in the northeastern vicinity of Ramallah, the Aili settlement was sanctioned for 1,081 units.
Furthermore, the Kochav Yaakov settlement in the heart of the West Bank witnessed the green light for 627 units, while northwest of Jerusalem, the Giv’at Ze’ev settlement secured approval for 559 units.
In addition, the Alkanah settlement near Nablus saw the endorsement of 350 units, the Kiryat Arba settlement to the south of Hebron was granted 374 units, and 380 units were approved for the Kedumim settlement in the northern region of the West Bank, with numerous other settlements experiencing expansions.
Settlement Expansion in Jerusalem
Within Jerusalem, plans are under review by the Israeli government for the establishment of 7,082 settlement units across various areas in the city.
Included in these proposals is a vision to construct 3,500 settlement units to the city’s south, forming the New Talpiot settlement.
Additionally, there is a plan to erect 730 settlement units in the northern district of Beit Hanina, alongside a scheme to develop 1,918 units in the Ramot Alon settlement in the city’s north. Furthermore, the Kidmat Zion settlement to the east of the city is envisaged to encompass 384 settlement units.
The scale of settlement endeavors approved within the West Bank during the initial half of the current year has been unparalleled since 2012.
In 2012, the count stood at 7,325 settlement units given the go-ahead, followed by 5,749 units in 2013, 2,472 units in 2014, 1,245 units in 2015, 2,292 units in 2016, 6,742 units in 2017, 5,618 units in 2018, 8,457 units in 2019, 12,159 units in 2020, 3,645 units in 2021, and 4,427 units in 2022.
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