On June 12, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced a plan to build 2,162 new homes in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. According to Smotrich, a planning committee approved the project, including 1,006 units in a new settlement near Jerusalem, 922 units near Nablus, and 234 units near Hebron.
In a statement, Smotrich emphasized: “We continue to build the Land of Israel in practice.” He argued the new homes would “strengthen our control over the land, enhance Israel’s security, and establish facts on the ground, preventing the formation of an Arab terrorist state in the heart of the country.”
The office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the decision, warning that Israel’s “provocative” policies are pushing the region toward more violence. The Palestinian side called on the U.S. to stop Israel’s “madness.”
Settlements in the occupied West Bank are considered illegal under international law and condemned by most countries. Minister Smotrich has been sanctioned by the UK, France, and many others for allegedly inciting violence against Palestinians. Smotrich dismissed the sanctions, saying they would not change Israeli policy.
In a related development, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported on June 13 that Israeli forces announced the demolition of several shops at the Bazariya town junction, northwest of Nablus, to clear space for a settlement road. Some settlers also stormed the village of Deir Sudan, northwest of Ramallah, with bulldozers to seize land.
These moves come months after the Israeli government approved a land registration procedure in February, allowing Israel to seize land as “state property” if Palestinians cannot prove ownership.
