Israel Plans Funding for 61 New West Bank Settlements

The Government of Israel is preparing to approve one of the largest expansions of West Bank settlements in decades, aiming to establish approximately 60 new sites. Championed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, the plan allocates over $350 million for temporary residential compounds and infrastructure to create facts on the ground in strategic areas, including the Jordan Valley and South Hebron Hills, before national elections in late 2026.

While the cabinet initially intended to approve the funding on June 11, the matter was referred to the security cabinet for a confidential decision scheduled for June 14. In a related move, the government recently allocated 152 million shekels ($51 million) to prepare construction plans for an additional 69 settlements and outposts.

International reactions have been sharply critical. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the expansions violate international law and risk making a two-state solution impossible. Simultaneously, Amnesty International released a report accusing the Israeli government of playing an integral role in the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the West Bank, while several nations, including France and Canada, have imposed sanctions against networks financing settler violence.