Key facts
- Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz inaugurated a new settlement named Emek Dotan near Jenin.
- The settlement is built on Palestinian land in the town of Arraba.
- This is part of a plan to establish 19 new illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.
- Israeli settlers have begun occupying the Emek Dotan settlement.
- Plans were also announced for three settlements in Gaza and funding for West Bank expansion.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz inaugurated a new settlement, Emek Dotan, in the Jenin area on Thursday, built on Palestinian land in the town of Arraba. This move is part of a larger initiative by the Samaria Regional Council to establish 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, with settlers already beginning to occupy the site. The establishment of Emek Dotan is noted as the first new settlement in the northern West Bank on a site where no settlement existed prior to Israel's 2005 disengagement plan.
Israeli settlers began moving into Emek Dotan on Sunday, with Channel 7 reporting that the founding families from the settlement's group have moved into erected buildings. An official inauguration ceremony was scheduled for Sunday, with expected attendees including Education Minister Yoav Kisch, Security Cabinet Minister Zeev Elkin, and members of the Amana settlement organisation. Graduates of a religious school are among the first residents.
In parallel, Israeli Defence and Finance Ministers announced plans for three new settlements in Gaza and allocated over $400 million for expanding construction in the occupied West Bank. This funding was reportedly kept secret due to anticipated US opposition. Maj Gen Avi Bluth, commander of Israeli forces in the West Bank, expressed appreciation for the work of extremist outposts, considering them security partners. The UN human rights office for Palestine has stated that settler violence is state violence, with Israel using settlers for annexation efforts and maintaining impunity for perpetrators.
Hagit Ofran from the Israeli activist group Peace Now noted that bulldozers were working on at least seven settlements to be populated before the upcoming national elections on October 27, describing it as a 'reckless pre-election sprint to raid the public purse in order to create facts on the ground.' Defence Minister Katz also stated his intention to establish three 'Nahal' outposts in northern Gaza, a type of military community that has historically paved the way for civilian settlements. Dror Etkes, founder of the advocacy group Kerem Navot, explained that military outposts are a first phase to prepare sites for future settlement.