A Palestinian agency has warned that Israel is advancing plans to build 1,024 new settlement units in the occupied West Bank. The projects involve more than 1,069 dunams of Palestinian land. Palestinian officials say the expansion strengthens Israel’s control over occupied territory and undermines prospects for peace.
The Palestinian Colonisation and Wall Resistance Commission said Israel’s Higher Planning Council has advanced nine settlement projects since the beginning of July. According to the commission, 455 housing units have been approved, while 569 units have entered the planning and deposit stage for further procedures.
Read more: Israel approves $334 million settlement road plan
The commission said the projects form part of what it described as a systematic policy to expand existing settlements. It added that Israel is increasingly focusing on increasing housing density and expanding settlement blocs rather than establishing entirely new settlements. Palestinian officials argue the strategy supports what they call de facto annexation of occupied land.
Among the approved projects is the expansion of the Mevo Dotan settlement near Arraba in southern Jenin, adding 455 housing units on nearly 539 dunams of land. Meanwhile, Israeli authorities have also submitted plans to expand the Beit Hagai and Asael settlements in the Hebron governorate by 569 additional units.
The commission said settlement planning has become an integrated system linking settlements through Israeli infrastructure while limiting Palestinian urban development. It argued that continued expansion is reshaping the geography of the occupied West Bank and reinforcing Israeli control over the territory.
Read more: Israel approves $2.3bn West Bank expansion
The United Nations has repeatedly stated that Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories are illegal under international law. The UN maintains that continued settlement expansion undermines the prospects for a negotiated two-state solution. Israel disputes aspects of the international legal interpretation regarding the settlements.
Palestinians continue to seek an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital based on international resolutions. The latest settlement proposals are expected to draw further international attention as diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict remain stalled.