The government has approved the establishment of 22 new settlements in the West Bank, as part of a joint initiative by Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, the ministries announced in a joint statement on Thursday.
The decision includes plans to renew settlement activity in northern Samaria and develop new communities along the Jordan Valley border.
According to the Defense Ministry, the move follows the repeal of the Disengagement Law in specific areas, enabling renewed activity in Homesh and Sa-Nur. The plan is intended to expand settlement infrastructure and strengthen Israel’s strategic position across the region.
The plan includes the return of residential activity to previously evacuated areas and the creation of four new settlements along the eastern border near Jordan.
These developments are intended to reinforce Israeli control along a key territorial corridor and are aligned with broader government planning to support population growth and land use in designated zones, the Defense Ministry said.
Katz and Smotrich praise the development of the 22 new West Bank settlements
Defense Minister Israel Katz said the decision supports Israel’s regional positioning and settlement framework:
“The decision to establish 22 new settlements in the West Bank strengthens our presence in the area and affirms our commitment to ensuring security for the population centers of Israel,” Katz said. “It is a step toward reinforcing our eastern axis and addressing ongoing security challenges.”
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that the move represents a shift in government policy toward expanded development:
“With the backing of the cabinet, we are advancing a plan that focuses on construction and long-term development,” he said. “Our goal is to ensure continued presence and infrastructure growth in key areas.”
Religious Zionist Party (RZP) MK Orit Strock commented on the decision on a post on X/Twitter, saying, “We made a promise, and we kept it. New settlements are being established in Judea and Samaria, closing a gap of decades in the settlement of the land and providing a Zionist response to vast spaces that have been neglected and abandoned.”
הבטחנו – מקיימים.מקימים ישובים חדשים ביו”ש.סוגרים פער של עשרות שנים בישוב הארץ.נותנים מענה ציוני למרחבים עצומים שנזנחו והופקרו.מבטאים במעשים את זכותנו על הארץ ואת חובתנו כלפיה.ממשיכים לתקן את חטא ההתנתקות.@bezalelsm pic.twitter.com/kL4mBjhSot
— אורית סטרוק (@oritstrock) May 29, 2025
“Through our actions, we express our right to the land and our duty towards it. We continue to correct the sin of disengagement.”
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