Israeli Ministers Unveil 3 Gaza Settlements and $400 Million for West Bank Expansion Before October 27 Vote
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 18
Israeli Ministers Unveil 3 Gaza Settlements and $400 Million for West Bank Expansion Before October 27 Vote
1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 18
Summary
$400 million in West Bank settlement funding and plans for three new Gaza outposts were announced by Israel's defence and finance ministers as Netanyahu's coalition heads toward the October 27 election.
1.3 billion shekels had been approved last month but reportedly kept secret because of expected US opposition, while Peace Now said bulldozers were already working on at least seven settlements meant to be populated before polling day.
Three planned 'Nahal' outposts in northern Gaza would begin as military communities but historically have paved the way for civilian settlements, according to settlement watchdog Kerem Navot.
65% of Gaza is now under Israeli control, according to an on-camera military briefing to Defence Minister Israel Katz, far beyond the 53% envisaged under last year's US-brokered ceasefire.
Maj Gen Avi Bluth's praise for extremist outposts as military 'security partners' and a new UN report calling settler violence 'state violence' underscored widening alarm over state-backed annexation in occupied Palestinian territory.
As top Israeli generals now call settlements a security myth, what are the long-term risks of this pre-election expansion?
Is the creation of 'annihilation zones' in Gaza a new form of warfare aimed at making the land uninhabitable?
How can Gaza be rebuilt when international reconstruction plans are criticized as tools for continued Palestinian displacement and control?
Israel Approves 34 New West Bank Settlements in 2026: Expansion, International Backlash, and Humanitarian Crisis
Overview
In July 2026, the Israeli government approved 34 new settlements in the West Bank, allocating billions of shekels for their development. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich explained that the goal is to acquire large areas of land with only a few settlers, making these outposts mainly ideological. Anton Goodman noted that this strategy allows the state to claim vast tracts of land, solidifying Israeli control over sensitive regions. The rapid funding and infrastructure support show an immediate intent to entrench these settlements, which has drawn strong international criticism and is seen as a major obstacle to peace.