Key facts
- Israel's cabinet referred a 1 billion shekel ($337.8 million) plan for West Bank settlement expansion to the security cabinet.
- The funding, promoted by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, is for infrastructure like roads and sewage systems.
- Palestinian officials and Hamas condemned the plan as an acceleration of annexation.
- UN data shows 2025 settlement expansions are at their highest level since 2017.
- The Israeli military is establishing a permanent base in Jenin, the first in an area under full Palestinian Authority control since the Oslo Accords.
- The Jenin base is intended to support security operations and protect nearby settlements.
Israel's cabinet has referred a plan to allocate 1 billion shekels ($337.8 million) for the establishment of new settlements in the occupied West Bank to the security cabinet, deferring an immediate vote. The proposal, championed by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, aims to fund infrastructure such as roads, land preparation, sewage, and water systems for these settlements.
Palestinian officials and Hamas have strongly condemned the move, with some viewing it as an acceleration of annexation and a dangerous escalation. The UN has reported that Israeli settlement expansions in 2025 are at their highest level since 2017. Peace Now, an Israeli anti-settlement group, stated that the government is seeking to 'set facts on the ground' ahead of potential elections and noted the planned vote bypasses standard planning processes.
Separately, the Israeli military is establishing a permanent base in Jenin, its first in an area under full Palestinian Authority civil and security control since the 1993 Oslo Accords. The base is intended to replace troops deployed in residents' homes and regulate long-term troop deployment, facilitating a safe withdrawal from the Jenin refugee camp. Sources cited by Haaretz suggest the base will also support security operations and protect nearby Israeli settlements.