Israel Establishes Noa Settlement in Northern West Bank

Israeli authorities established a new settlement named Noa on Palestinian land in the Jenin governorate of the northern West Bank on August 31, 2026. The Cabinet of Israel marked the opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by several ministers and Knesset members. Noa is the eighth settlement founded by the Samaria Regional Council in less than a year and is part of a larger strategic plan to create 19 settlements intended to attract 1 million Jewish residents to the region.

The site is located southeast of Jenin, near the Ganim and Kadim settlements. Those locations were previously evacuated in 2005 under the Disengagement plan but were reestablished earlier this year. Reports also indicate the Israeli Security Cabinet approved a $370 million budget for West Bank settlement expansion, although the government did not publicly announce the decision.

The Palestinian National Authority warned that the establishment of Noa disrupts geographic connectivity between towns and threatens agricultural land. The move is viewed by the authority as part of a broader effort to impose settlement realities on the ground.