Israel Moves Forward with Plans for Nearly 1,000 More Illegal Settler Housing Units in West Bank, Says Watchdog

Occupied West Bank (Quds News Network)- Israeli occupation authorities have issued a tender for the construction of nearly 1,000 additional illegal settler housing units in the occupied West Bank, according to Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now.

The group said the 974 new settler housing units would allow the population of Israeli settlers in the illegal Efrat settlement to increase by 40%, expand by 644 dunams and further block the development of the nearby Palestinian city of Bethlehem.

The Efrat settlement blocks the development of the Bethlehem metropolis to the south, and if Israel seeks to annex it to Israel, it will cut off the entire southern West Bank, which depends on the connection to the northern Bank through Bethlehem on Highway 60, to the east of which the Efrat settlement is located.

“While the people of Israel sets 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 that will destroy the chance for peace and compromise. It is now clear that military action alone will not bring a solution to the conflict or security to Israel, and that ultimately we will have to reach an agreement with the Palestinians. The Netanyahu government is harming Israeli interests and torpedoing the only solution that can bring us security and peace,” the group said.

On Sunday, far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich vowed that the occupation state will demolish more Palestinian homes than are built in the West Bank by 2025. He emphasized that the government would intensify demolition operations, aiming to increase efforts significantly by 2025.
“2025 will be the first year since 1967 in which we will destroy more than what Palestinians build,” Smotrich declared. He highlighted that controlling land is at the core of the Israeli colonial project.
Smotrich confirmed that the Israeli government will continue to block Palestinian construction in areas occupied by Israel. He pointed to the 2025 budget, which includes substantial increases for demolition operations. This will involve more manpower, new equipment, and advanced technology to monitor Palestinian construction.
Since the start of the genocide in Gaza in October 2023, Israel has escalated settlement activity in the West Bank. This is part of a broader strategy to annex more Palestinian land, despite international opposition.
Israel’s settlement expansion continues amid official statements and consensus among Knesset members rejecting the creation of a Palestinian state, defying international law. The United Nations has repeatedly called for a halt to these illegal settlements.
By the end of 2024, around 770,000 Israeli settlers lived in the West Bank, spread across 180 settlements and 256 outposts. These settlements are considered illegal under international law.