The Israeli security cabinet approved on Sunday the formalisation of 19 new outposts in the West Bank, marking a sharp expansion of Jewish settlements and further undermining the prospects of a future Palestinian state. The move, strongly promoted by the far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, is part of a wider surge in settlement construction that has seen dozens of new communities authorised in recent years, the highest number recorded under any Israeli government.
Although presented as an administrative step, the decision appears to be a deliberate political strategy. Smotrich has been clear that the goal is to advance what he calls de facto sovereignty over the West Bank to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state. The approval of the outposts gives them official status, access to state funding and connection to national infrastructure, although many were originally built without government authorisation and are considered illegal even under Israeli law.
The policy also includes reviving settlements that were dismantled nearly two decades ago. Two communities in the northern West Bank, Ganim and Kadim, were evacuated in 2005 during Israel’s disengagement from Gaza. The current government has repealed the legislation that barred Israelis from returning to these sites, signalling a clear reversal of earlier withdrawals and reinforcing the sense that past compromises are being undone.
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Since the governing coalition took office in late 2022, the number of settlements in the West Bank has risen dramatically. Figures show an increase of almost 50 per cent, from 141 recognised settlements to more than 200. This growth is not limited to existing blocs but extends deep into the territory, reshaping the geography in ways that make the establishment of a contiguous Palestinian state increasingly difficult. The government has also reactivated the long-stalled E1 development plan, which would place thousands of new homes between Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim, a project that many diplomats argue would effectively split the West Bank in two.
The impact of the expansion has been severe for the Palestinians as more checkpoints, gates, and barriers restrict movement and isolate communities. Nearly a thousand such obstacles now crisscross the West Bank, cutting off villages from farmland, workplaces and essential services. The resulting economic damage has been profound, with Palestinian output falling back to levels last seen more than a decade ago and years of development effectively erased.
Adding to the Palestinians' woes, settler violence has increased sharply. Human rights groups and United Nations agencies report record levels of attacks on Palestinian communities, often taking place in the presence or with the protection of Israeli soldiers. Entire villages have been forced from their homes after repeated assaults, while crops, mosques and water sources have been damaged or destroyed. In 2025 alone, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank during military operations and settler violence. Many more have been displaced, especially to refugee camps. The situation is even worse in rural areas designated as Area C, which remains under full Israeli control as entire families are expelled.
International law considers most West Bank settlements illegal, a position reaffirmed by the United Nations and most governments worldwide. The UN Secretary General has warned recently that the Netanyahu government’s expansion policy is hurting Palestinian rights and making the two-state solution almost impossible to achieve. Such open flouting of international law has led to tensions between Israel and some of its traditional allies, including several Western countries. Many of them, such as the UK, France and Canada, have taken steps to recognise a Palestinian state, and keep on warning that the settlement expansion could carry serious diplomatic consequences.
The Israeli government, however, appears determined to press ahead. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the settlement expansion is a historic and spiritual mission integral to the idea of a greater Israel. Unless the United States decides to step in and read the riot act, Netanyahu is unlikely to budge.