New settlement escalation.. The occupation approves the construction of 19 settlements in the West Bank

The occupation authorities have approved the establishment of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, a move described by officials as “historic.” This decision brings the total number of settlements approved in the past three years to 69, furthering the policy of establishing facts on the ground and fragmenting Palestinian lands. The move, coordinated between Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, includes the re-establishment of previously evacuated settlements like “Ganim” and “Kedem.”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned of a “record” level of settlement expansion in 2025, with approximately 47,390 settlement housing units approved or tendered – a substantial increase from the roughly 26,170 units in 2024 and the annual average of around 12,800. Guterres condemned the expansion as a violation of international law, undermining the possibility of a contiguous Palestinian state and entrenching the occupation.

The UN report also highlighted an “alarming” rise in settler violence against Palestinians, sometimes occurring with the support of occupation security forces, and expressed concern over military operations resulting in Palestinian deaths and destruction. With over 500,000 settlers now living in the West Bank amidst a Palestinian population of approximately three million, violence has persisted since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, resulting in over a thousand Palestinian deaths and 44 Israeli fatalities.

(Source：جريدة القدس)