Occupation Proposes Tender to Build 342 New Colonial Units in "Ariel" Settlement

SadaNews - The Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission revealed today, Sunday, that the so-called "Israeli Land Authority" has issued a new tender numbered (7/2026) for a settlement project in the "Ariel" settlement, built on citizens' lands in Salfit Governorate, which involves the construction of 342 colonial units as part of a multi-story building project.

The commission explained in a statement that the reception of bids from companies to implement the project will continue until August 31, 2026, noting that the occupation authorities had approved the plan on May 25, 2025, in preparation for the implementation of the new settlement project called "Ariel West."

It reiterated that the issuance of this tender reflects the ongoing transition of the occupation government from the phase of approving settlement plans to the phase of practical implementation, through the issuance of tenders to development and construction companies, which accelerates the pace of settlement expansion and transforms plans into actual projects on the ground.

The commission added that the project holds special significance as it is located in the "Ariel" settlement, which is considered one of the largest settlement blocs in the northern West Bank. Successive Israeli governments aim to expand it both demographically and architecturally and connect it to the Israeli center, thereby entrenching colonial realities and deepening the fragmentation of Palestinian geography.

It noted that it has monitored the publication of 12 settlement tenders by the occupation authorities during the first half of 2026, spread across residential, commercial, industrial, tourism, and service projects.

It specified that these tenders included 1,138 colonial units ready for implementation, concentrated in five main settlements, including "Ariel" (342 units), "Ma'ale Adumim" (581 units), "Immanuel" (21 units), and "Gnei Modiin" (194 units). Other tenders were allocated to establish industrial and commercial zones, offices, elderly care homes, and tourism and recreational facilities, reflecting an increasing trend towards developing the economic and service infrastructure of the settlements, alongside residential expansion.

The Israeli occupation authorities continue to expand settlement activities in the West Bank by approving plans, issuing tenders, and executing infrastructure projects, in violation of international law and United Nations resolutions that affirm the illegality of settlement in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem. The Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission emphasizes that the acceleration of these projects aims to impose new realities on the ground and undermine the chances of establishing a geographically contiguous and viable Palestinian state.