Bezalel Smotrich Launches Settlement Revolution Across Israel and West Bank

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the launch of a "settlement revolution" on Monday, signaling a radical shift in urban planning and settlement policy. Smotrich stated that this new phase extends beyond the West Bank to include future expansion plans in the Negev and Galilee regions within Israel, aiming to bolster demographic development and infrastructure in strategic areas.

This declaration follows the Israeli cabinet's recent approval of 13 new settlements in the central West Bank, specifically targeting strategic corridors along Route 60 and areas toward the Jordan Valley. These moves are designed to entrench control over Palestinian territory, which Palestinian officials warn will isolate East Jerusalem and undermine the possibility of a two-state solution.

The expansion occurs amid an escalation of violence and state-led demolitions. A United Nations inquiry reported a 130 percent increase in settler attacks since 2023, citing incidents such as the destruction of electricity lines in al-Maniya and the seizure of the Ein Rawabi spring. Since October 8, 2023, combined actions by Israeli forces and settlers have killed 1,175 Palestinians and displaced 33,000 people in the West Bank.