In just two days, the Israeli government has approved the construction of more homes in Jewish settlements in the West Bank than in the past two years. The coalition led by Benjamin Netanyahu, which among its priorities established that "the Jewish people have the exclusive and inalienable right" to settle beyond the Green Line, promised a massive push for the settlements in response to the recent Palestinian attacks on Jerusalem.
The civil administration of the Israeli army, the body that regulates building permits or demolition of illegal structures, approved between Wednesday and Thursday the construction of 7,287 housing units in the West Bank. This week, “Bibi” gave Betzalel Smotrich, leader of the far-right Religious Zionism, sweeping powers over this crucial commission. While Smotrich celebrated it as “a victory for the residents of Judea and Samaria (the Biblical name for the region)”, Israeli anti-occupation groups called it a “de facto legal annexation”.
The approved plan will also involve the regularization of "wild colonies", illegal even under Israeli law. Although the international community considers any Jewish construction in the West Bank illegitimate, Israeli law does approve communities erected on “state land”, located in the C area of the West Bank, an area under Israeli military and civilian control. However, some of the new regularized settlements were established on private Palestinian land. For their legalization, some will be considered as "neighborhoods" of nearby settlements.
Among the regularizations, that of Pnei Kedem stands out, where the parliamentarian Simcha Rothman resides. The member of Religious Zionism gained prominence as president of the Knesset justice commission, where the "judicial reform" that will weigh down the separation of powers in the country was conceived. In addition, other localities were legalized, such as Mevo'ot Yerijo, Zayit Ra'anan, Nativ Ha'avot or Nofei Nehemia. Two weeks ago, the executive already advanced the legalization of another ten "wild colonies."
Hundreds of houses will be built in settlements located in the heart of the West Bank, making any withdrawal even more difficult. According to Shlomo Neeman, head of the regional council for Jewish colonies, the announcement will be a "tremendous reinforcement" for his agenda. Smotrich announced that in May there will be a new meeting to plan more works and regularizations.
In addition, Israel seeks to revive again the controversial construction plan in the "E1 corridor", located between Jerusalem and Jericho. Previous executives stopped construction in this area due to pressure from the US and the European Union, since it would definitively cut off the territorial continuity of an eventual Palestinian state between the cities of Ramallah and Bethlehem. If the government's intention is executed, 3,400 houses will be built, which will be considered as a new neighborhood of Ma'ale Adumim.
"The government is destroying any option for a political solution and for achieving peace," denounced the NGO Peace Now. For the pacifist group, Netanyahu "is spitting in the face of the US", after promising Washington that he would stop expansionist plans for several months. The 15 members of the UN Security Council this week expressed their "deep concern" at the continuation of "Israeli activities that put at risk the viability of the two-state solution based on the 1967 borders." In response, Netanyahu's office considered that "the statement should not have been issued, and the US should not have supported it." Smotrich commented that it is possible to have "disputes between friends, but in the end we will do what suits us."
