Report: Smotrich and Katz Lead "Colonial Revolution" in the West Bank

SadaNews - A report prepared by the National Office for the Defense of Land and Resistance to Settlement shows that the Israeli occupation government continues to implement extensive colonial projects in the West Bank under the title of "land settlement and registration", which constitutes a violation of international law and a threat to the right of Palestinians to their land.

The office added in its weekly settlement report issued today, Saturday, that the occupation government has allocated 244.1 million shekels over three years to establish a mechanism for land registration and settlement procedures in Area C, which poses a risk of displacing Palestinians from about 83% of this area, after the registration of the land in the name of "the state", in case the owners are unable to prove their ownership under the difficult conditions imposed by the occupation authorities.

The report indicated that these decisions are issued by sovereign ministries such as the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Defense, in a step that demonstrates the official nature of the colonial annexation, targeting control over Palestinian lands and expanding settlements, most notably the Adam "Givat Binyamin" settlement northeast of Jerusalem, which includes plans for the construction of approximately 6,000 new units, in addition to developing infrastructure and public facilities.

The report confirmed the continued activities of colonization, appropriation, and demolition across all West Bank governorates, including Jerusalem, Hebron, Salfit, Nablus, Ramallah, Bethlehem, and the Jordan Valley, where the violations included the demolition of homes and agricultural and commercial facilities, the appropriation of lands, preventing Palestinians from cultivating their lands, looting livestock, and imposing new outposts.

It pointed out that these colonial policies have led to the displacement of dozens of Palestinian families and undermined the economic and social livelihoods of farmers and landowners, while Arab countries and international organizations, including the European Union, the United Nations, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, have called for a reversal of these measures, considering them a violation of international law and a threat to the prospects for a two-state solution.

It noted that the development plan for the Adam "Givat Binyamin" settlement effectively involves the establishment of a new neighborhood in Jerusalem, expanding it for the first time since 1967 to the West Bank, without any geographical or functional connection between the targeted area and the settlement.

It indicated that as part of the comprehensive development of the settlement, around 500 units were marketed in the first phase, with development to continue according to the marketing phases and approved plans, including large-scale development of public and recreational spaces, including the establishment of a new sports and entertainment complex, gardens, and open public spaces, with a budget of approximately 29 million shekels, as well as future preparations for establishing educational and public institutions, with an investment of about 18 million shekels for excavation and infrastructure development, paving the way for building kindergartens and schools.

According to the "Peace Now" movement, this is the first time since 1967 that Jerusalem has been expanded into the West Bank under the guise of establishing a new settlement, to disguise a move that effectively applies Israeli sovereignty.

The report clarified that the destructive colonial activities of the occupation authorities do not stop at expanding colonization in the vicinity of Jerusalem or at the borders of the annexation plans contained in the recent decisions of the Israeli government, but they encompass the entire West Bank, in the broadest attack it has faced since the beginning of this year.

In this regard, it clarified that Salfit Governorate has a significant share of the current colonial attack being faced by the West Bank, having become the second targeted governorate after Jerusalem for colonization and Judaization.

According to several data and colonial maps, 41 new structural plans have been approved by the occupation during the year 2025 on the lands of the governorate, where tenders have been offered to build 10,098 new colonial units in more than one area, including: 730 units in the "Ariel" settlement, which is located more than 2 kilometers away from it, indicating the occupation's intention to establish a new settlement without announcing it, and this tender is necessarily accompanied by the appropriation of lands.

At the beginning of this year, the occupation authorities appropriated 694 dunums of citizens' lands in the towns of Kafr Thuluth, Deir Estiya, and Bidya under the label of "state lands", through the official responsible for government and absentee properties, considering them government or state lands.

This comes as is clear within the framework of the occupation's plan to establish a new colonial gathering east of Qalqilya, specifically to the south of the "Karny Shomron" settlement under the name "Dorot".

This coincides with ongoing bulldozing operations in citizens' lands in the Al-Ras area northwest of Salfit City, and ongoing incursions into the villages of Yasuf, Kifl Haris, Kafr Deek, Qarawat Bani Hassan, and the town of Bidya.

The report noted that about 40 settlements and gatherings, the largest being the "Ariel" settlement, sit on the lands of the governorate, and there are four industrial zones established on about 2,037 dunams, including: the "Barkan" industrial area covering approximately 1,130 dunams, the "Ariel" industrial zone covering 647 dunams, the "Ali Zahaf" industrial area covering about 223 dunams, and the "Kanah" industrial area covering 37 dunams.

In Hebron Governorate, the occupation government's Minister of Economy Nir Barkat recently announced plans to establish a colonial industrial complex south of Hebron on a land area of 2,400 dunams, located at a strategic site on the contact line, north of Beersheba, with approximately 12 million shekels already invested in planning procedures, and an additional investment request of 35 million shekels is expected to be submitted to the development committee for discussion, aiming to start development work, with the project expected to be completed as soon as possible by 2026.

In Hebron as well, the occupation army sends its forces to the southern area of Mount Hebron to prevent Palestinians from cultivating and planting their lands, as its soldiers have been sent many times at the beginning of the winter season to prevent Palestinians from farming their lands in response to settlers' requests.