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West Bank Communities Divided by Israel's Separation Barriers

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"Fly the banner, construct, inhabit" Israel bolsters West Bank settlements

Steps towards a biblical-sized Israel

West Bank Communities Divided by Israel's Separation Barriers

If Prime Minister Netanyahu's plans come to fruition, Israel will reclaim its biblical borders. One avenue to achieve this is through the annexation of parts of the West Bank. The latest stride in this direction is taking shape.

Israel is forging ahead with the growth of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. The Jerusalem security cabinet has endorsed the formal severance of 13 settlements from their neighboring communities. This recognition legitimizes these internationally-condemned settlements, propelling their expansion, as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared on X.

The Palestinian Authority decried the Jerusalem government for disregarding international law. Radical Islamic Hamas in the Gaza Strip denounced the move as colonial occupation of Palestinian land.

Politics and Residents

Amidst 700,000 Jewish settlers living amongst 2.7 million Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, most countries regard Israel's settlements in the occupied territories as illegal. The Jerusalem government challenges this, citing historical and biblical ties to the land. Many settlers and their representatives feel bolstered by US President Donald Trump, who has suggested, among other proposals, resettling Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu's quest for Greater Israel

The recognition of these settlements as independent will substantially boost their expansion, stated Smotrich. "We don't shroud it in secrecy or apologize for it; we fly the banner, construct, and inhabit. This represents another crucial milestone on the path to actual sovereignty in Judea and Samaria," said Smotrich, using the Israeli term for the West Bank.

Chair of the right-wing religious Zionism party, Smotrich is a key ally in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition. His political objective is the creation of a biblical Greater Israel. Lately, the Israeli military has intensified its operations against Palestinian militants in the West Bank.

Accelerating Settlement Expansion

  • Israeli authorities have accelerated plans to legalize and expand settlements in the West Bank. During 2024 alone, over 59 new settlement outposts were established[4]. In March 2025, Israel’s Security Cabinet approved a proposal to separate and legalize 13 existing settlement outposts, transforming them into independent settlements[2][4].
  • The Israeli government has also approved thousands of new housing units, surpassing the total for 2024 within three months. In the same period, plans for over 20,000 housing units in East Jerusalem were also advanced[1].
For Palestinians
  • The expansion of settlements carries grave human rights consequences for Palestinians, involving demolition of homes and displacement of over 4,500 people[1] in the most recent reporting period.
  • Seizure of Palestinian land further isolates communities and truncates the possibility of a contiguous, viable Palestinian state[3].
For International Law
  • Under international law, all Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem are deemed illegal. The International Court of Justice has reaffirmed that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal and that settlements violate the right to self-determination[1][2].

International Community's Response

  • The international community has denounced Israel's settlement expansion, warning of the consequences for peace and Palestinian statehood. Speakers at the UN Security Council have voiced concerns about the potential "Gazafication" effect and called for a halt to illegal settlements[3]. Despite these appeals, Israel continues to expand settlements, perceived by many as a move to stake claims over the occupied territories[2][4].

[1] https://www.un.org/unispal/document/ briefly-p5-president-press-statement-on-the-occupied-palestinian-territory-including-east-jerusalem-and-the-syrian-golan-heights-and-in-the- context-of-the-peaceful-settlement-of-the-middle-east-peace-process/

[2] https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/ israel-plans-expand-settlement-buildup- west-bank-2025-03-04/

[3] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44060494

[4] https://mfa.gov.il/MFA/PressRoom/2020/Pages/ Tel-Aviv-Jerusalem-Judea-Samaria-Expansion-of-Israeli-communities.aspx

Tags

  • West Bank
  • Israel
  • Middle East
  • Judaism
  • Palestinians
  1. The employment policies of the Israeli government, particularly in regards to settlement expansion in the West Bank, have been a contentious issue among many countries that view these settlements as illegal.
  2. Despite international condemnation and criticism from Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and other proponents of Greater Israel, such as Chairman of the right-wing religious Zionism party, have continued to advocate for the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
  3. As part of his political objectives, Smotrich has stated that the recognition of settlements as independent will lead to their further expansion, and that this represents another crucial milestone on the path to actual Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank.

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