Elham Asaad Buaras
Israel has outlined plans for the construction of nearly 1,000 new illegal settler homes in the occupied West Bank. An anti-settlement watchdog announced the move on February 17, raising fresh concerns over Israel’s expanding settlements.
According to Peace Now, the plan involves 974 additional housing units that will significantly increase the Efrat settlement (built on the Palestinian land of Khirbet al-Faradis)’s population by 40%. This expansion is expected to further restrict the development of the nearby Palestinian city of Bethlehem. The group stated that the project, originally approved last year, would extend Efrat’s land area by 644 dunams (160 acres), enlarging its footprint by approximately 10%.
Hagit Ofran, who oversees settlement monitoring for Peace Now, explained that construction could begin once the contracting process is completed, and permits are issued. This procedure could take at least another year.
Peace Now criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government for prioritizing settlement expansion while Israeli hostages remain captive in Gaza following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack.
“While the people of Israel (set) their sights on the release of the hostages and an end to the war, the Netanyahu government is operating ‘on steroids’ to establish facts on the ground,” the group stated.
The latest expansion is part of a broader push by Israeli authorities. Last year, the Civil Administration’s High Planning Subcommittee approved 3,500 new illegal settlement homes across the West Bank, including 694 in Efrat. Peace Now also noted that the latest plan includes 280 units designated for assisted living.
Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War. The Palestinians claim all three territories for their future state and view Israeli settlements as a significant barrier to peace—a stance widely supported by the international community. Peace Now emphasised that Efrat’s expansion encroaches on land crucial for a contiguous Palestinian state in the northern and southern West Bank.
Since then, Israel has annexed East Jerusalem, declaring it part of its unified capital. While President Donald Trump during his previous presidency provided unprecedented support for Israeli settlements, including moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, illegal settlement expansion has continued under Democratic administrations, despite their more critical stance.
The tender for new homes in Efrat highlights the ongoing tensions over Israeli settlement policy and its implications for the future of a two-state solution.
Photo: Efrat illegal settlement, built on Palestinian land in Khirbet al-Faradis, is set to expand by 40% as Israeli authorities approve 974 new housing units. (Credit:Tewfik/WikiCommons)
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