المكتب الوطني للدفاع عن الارض ومقاومة الاستيطان منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية
مقالات مشابهة
Settlement Weekly Report 20 – 26 June, 2026
By: Madeeha Al-A’raj
The ‘National Bureau for Defending Land and Resisting Settlements stated in its latest weekly report , that northern West Bank is witnessing a significant expansion of Israeli settlement activity, with plans to establish and develop 18 new settlements of which two new settlement cities: ‘Yahanit’ to be built on lands belonging to the Arraba town in the Jenin Governorate, and ‘Rosh HaAyin Mizrahit’ on lands belonging to the villages of Deir Ballut and Al-Zawiya in the Salfeet Governorate. The projects aim to reshape the geographical landscape through plans that include creating settlement contiguity and linking settlement blocs to each other, thus fragmenting Palestinian towns and villages and preventing any geographical expansion of them.
This is achieved through networks of bypass roads that serve the settlements and allow exclusive freedom of movement for settlers. Besides, a number of settlement outposts and pastoral farms are being legalized and transformed into officially recognized settlements within the Israeli master plan.
The new settlement projects between the Nablus and Jenin Governorates include a plan to construct a settler road linking the Homesh settlement to the Jordan Valley, effectively severing the 2 governorates geographically. This also involves consolidating the Sanur settlement and expanding surrounding outposts through a settlement belt that will sever any Palestinian geographical contiguity in the northern West Bank, transforming towns and villages into isolated enclaves surrounded by settler infrastructure. \
Planning maps and field data have revealed a project to construct a wide bypass road connecting the Homesh and Shuva Yisrael settlements to the Shagit Yehuda settlement in the Jordan Valley. This project will consume thousands of dunams of confiscated agricultural land belonging to the towns of Beit Imrin and Yasid (northwest of Nablus) and extend into the lands of the towns of Jaba’ and Siris ‘south of Jenin’. This new road will completely isolate Jenin from Nablus from the southeast, preventing vital communication between the two governorates.
Within the context, the reconstruction and expansion of the Sanur settlement ‘Jenin’ has taken a dangerous turn after the Higher Settlement Council approved a plan to build 126 new permanent housing units around the historic fortress to ensure the transition from temporary housing to permanent settlement. The plan includes the construction of private homes and multi-story residential buildings, funded and officially sanctioned by the Israeli government and the Council of Settlements in the northern West Bank.
In addition to the expansion of existing settlement blocs and outposts – the Shaked-Reihan bloc ‘west of Jenin’, where connectivity within this bloc ‘which includes the settlements of Shaked, Hananit, Reihan, and Tel Menashe’ is being intensified by expanding its architectural influence to seize land in Areas A and B and undermine the administrative boundaries established by the Oslo Accords. On the Shavei Shomron settlement axis ‘Nablus’, the new plan aims to connect it to the bypass road network to facilitate the exclusive movement of settlers towards the Jordan Valley blocs and the Homesh settlement without having to pass through populated Palestinian areas.
The Israeli occupation is also implementing an accelerated plan to control Mount Ebal ‘the northern mountain of the city of Nablus’ by inaugurating a new pastoral and residential settlement outpost on the top of the mountain, in preparation for converting it into a permanent settlement as part of plans to isolate the city and control its vital peaks. The settlers had established the first nucleus of the outpost in March 2026 in cooperation with the ‘Northern West Bank Settlements Council’ ‘Samaria and the Amana’ settlement movement.
An outpost witnessed the continuous introduction of mobile homes and heavy equipment to stabilize the residential presence and expand the paths within it as an effective implementation of the Israeli ‘cabinet’ decision issued in May 2025, which stipulated the legalization and establishment of 22 sites. A new settlement in the West Bank, Mount Ebal was one of the most prominent. This is taking place in light of ideological exploitation, as settlers and Israeli antiquities associations exploit the Biblical narrative that claims the existence of an ‘altar of the Prophet Joshua bin Nun’ in the ‘Bernat area’ on the mountain.
The occupation aims to transform the aforementioned area into a Jewish tourist and religious landmark, to legitimize the confiscation of the vast lands surrounding it under the guise of “protecting antiquities.” Mount Ebal, the highest mountain peak in the Nablus mountain range, is of utmost importance, as controlling it gives the occupation complete military supervision over the neighborhoods of the city of Nablus and the surrounding northern and eastern villages (such as Asira al-Shamaliya, Talluza, and Al-Badhan). This plan is linked to a project to build a new settlement road network extending from Mount Ebal all the way to the “Homesh” and “Sanur” settlements in the north, which contributes to controlling the northern West Bank and ensuring the movement of settlers without passing through populated Palestinian areas.
The Occupation Authorities are also targeting the Al-Baqi’a Plain, east of Tubas, where occupation bulldozers are destroying water lines supplying thousands of dunams of farmland. This is part of the “Crimson Thread” project, which aims to construct a military road and a separation wall on Palestinian-owned land in the Tubas Governorate. For months, these bulldozers have been fragmenting the area and its agricultural lands, destroying vast areas planted with trees and vegetables, in addition to destroying the water lines that irrigate thousands of dunams in the plain.
Farmers in the area face an uncertain future, as the occupation and settlers have been targeting this region for years, harassing residents to forcibly displace them and seize their land for settlement expansion projects. The danger of the ‘Crimson Thread’ project lies in the fact that it now threatens all aspects of agricultural life in the Al-Baqi’a Plain. According to initial data, 24,000 dunams belonging to 300 farmers are facing damage and drought, representing a quarter of the 96,000-dunam plain, due to ongoing bulldozing operations.
Same threat looms over the remaining lands in the plain. Furthermore, this project represents a significant and dangerous step towards separating the Jordan Valley from the rest of the West Bank and consolidating the occupation’s control over it. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz revealed the ‘Crimson Thread project’ in Nov 2025, explaining that this colonial project will serve as a military road and a separation wall stretching 22 km in length and 50 meters in width across Palestinian-owned land from the village of Ein Shibli in the central Jordan Valley to the Tayasir military checkpoint.
The occupation authorities have already issued ‘military seizure’ orders for 1,042 dunams of Palestinian land, which will be traversed by the wall. Since the beginning of this year, they have also been carrying out continuous bulldozing operations to implement the project, which will isolate thousands of additional dunams.
Israeli FMr Smotrich is seeking to pass a new package of hundreds of millions of shekels in funding for settlers before the end of the current government’s term, while also working to enshrine some of these budgets in law so they remain binding on future governments, according to a report in Haaretz last Sunday. Smotrich is also continuing to push for expanding privileges granted to settlements and is currently working on two new resolutions aimed at broadening the definition of ‘national priority areas.’
The newspaper reported that Smotrich’s plan calls for increasing allocations for what is known as ‘Jewish identity’ by NIS 200 million within a program extending until 2028. The proposed funding mechanism would be binding on future governments, ensuring the continued flow of funds even after the current government’s term ends.
The newspaper explained that the allocations would be added to budgets already approved this year, including NIS 82 million allocated to the ‘Jewish Identity Directorate’ within the Prime Minister’s Office, NIS 60 million for ‘Jewish Culture,’ and 100s of millions of shekels transferred to the Ministries of Heritage, Traditions, and National Missions.
According to Haaretz, Smotrich continues to push for expanding privileges granted to settlements and is working on two new resolutions aimed at broadening the definition of ‘national priority areas.’ One resolution includes settlements in the Jordan Valley, while the other includes settlements adjacent to the Gaza Strip, thus granting them further economic incentives and tax exemptions.
The newspaper reported that a large part of these funds has not yet been spent, as at least one billion shekels remain in the coalition’s funds fund, in addition to another financial item worth NIS 1.3 billion that was officially allocated for the development of projects in local authorities, but part of these funds is practically used to meet the various needs of the coalition parties.
Within the context of the campaign for the upcoming Israeli legislative elections before the end of this year, the Minister of Finance and Minister of Settlements in the Ministry of the Army, Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the extreme right-wing ‘Religious Zionism’ Pparty, according to the official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, opened his propaganda campaign bazaar by announcing his goals in the term of the next government, which are to displace the Palestinians, cancel the Oslo Accords, and push towards annexing the occupied West Bank, as this constitutes the long-term solution to the conflict.
He added at a conference of settlement leaders in the West Bank last week that the next government will be required to dismantle the idea of establishing a Palestinian state, and work to change the existing political and security reality in the West Bank, and that after the next elections he aspires to transfer what he described as the ‘settlement revolution’ to the Negev ‘southern Israel’ and Galilee ‘northern Israeli’ regions, and he considered this ‘necessary to strengthen the Jewish population presence there.’
Smotrich attacked what he called the leftist camp in Israel, warning that his return to power would lead to the continuation of what he described as the control of the ‘deep state, and harm to Jewish identity, settlement, and security.’ He linked the next political phase in Israel to the remaining period of US President Donald Trump’s term and considered it a window of time that must be exploited to bring about radical changes, including dismantling the Palestinian Authority, disarmament in the West Bank, and preventing the recurrence of large-scale attacks.
Naftali Bennett, head of the Biyahad list and former prime minister of Israel, also entered the bazaar, which was opened by Smotrich, and considered that Areas C, which constitutes 60% of the area of the West Bank, ‘will be part of the State of Israel,’ and that Areas A and B will be part of Palestinian self-government, referring to his rejection of the establishment of a Palestinian State.
He told the Kan public broadcaster that what he described as “legal settlements” in Areas C were established in ‘State lands’ ‘and not built on Palestinian privately owned lands’ are settlements whose establishment he supports ‘and are welcomed,’ and that ‘settlement construction is illegal or not in Area C or on privately owned lands, it is not legitimate.’
Adding in response to a question about how Bennitt would deal with random settlement outposts that are not established according to a government decision if he arrives, that ‘what is not legal will not remain,’ and he repeated that he supports ‘legal settlement’ in the areas. C, claiming that these areas ‘will remain part of the State of Israel and Areas A and B will be part of Palestinian self-government.’
List of Israeli Assaults over the Last Week Documented by the National Bureau:
Jerusalem:
- Storming the vicinity of the Al-Mahtoush Bedouin community belonging to the Al-Arara family near the Khan Al-Ahmar area east of occupied Jerusalem.
- Demolishing 3 residential buildings under construction in the Al-Turi neighborhood, in Kafr Aqab, coinciding with extensive bulldozing operations and the cutting off of the main road in the neighborhood under the pretext of building without a permit. This led to the isolation of the area and hindered the movement of citizens. Injuring many high school students as a result of the firing of toxic gas bombs.
- Demolishing a number of kiosks and storefronts in the Shuafat Camp, while the Shaloudi family, from Wadi Hilweh in Silwan, received an order from the Enforcement Office to vacate their home in favor of the Himanuta Company, owned by the Jewish National Fund ‘Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael’. According to the eviction notice, the order is based on a court ruling issued in 2004 stating that the family no longer has the right to reside in their home, because the property was classified as ‘absentee property’ and its ownership was transferred from the government to the Jewish National Fund in 1991.
Hebron:
- Closing with earth mounds the entrance to the ‘Ashkara area’, south of the Yatta town, obstructing citizens’ movement and completely isolating the area. Also in Yatta, a settler released a flock of his sheep near citizens’ homes in the village of Susiya. Others also deliberately brought their livestock to graze on agricultural crops in the Shaab Al-Buttam area, and caused the destruction of large areas of crops and the destruction of perennial olive trees.
- Injuring 3 citizens in the town of Surif, by a settler attack under the protection of the occupation forces, they attacked citizens in the Al-Qurinat area in central Surif, and fired live bullets, causing the wounding of a citizen, 57 and his son, 27 with live bullets, and another young man, 31 with cuts and bruises.
- Spraying pepper gas on citizen Nasser Al-Nawajaa, causing him to suffer from suffocation in the village of Susiya.
- Injuring 4 citizens, they also suffocated as a result of a violent attack launched by armed settlers on citizens’ homes in the town of Yatta in the Wadi Al-Rakhim and Khallet Al-Humus areas, south of Yatta. They were subsequently transferred to Yatta Governmental Hospital to receive treatment.
- Uprooting and smashed about 60 trees, including 40 olive trees and 20 forest trees, and closed the road linking Khallet Al-Homs to Wadi Al-Rakhim to prevent the movement of people. ]\
- Storing the area of Sadat Al-Thaala, and carried out provocative searches inside the citizens’ homes and the caves in which they lived. Groups of settlers attempted to steal the citizens’ livestock before the people confronted them and forced them to retreat .
- Storming the town of Al-Samu’, in Khirbet ‘Al-Kharaba’ and deliberately released their livestock and grazed them between the residents’ homes and on their agricultural lands to destroy the crops. The settlers directed insults and profanity to the residents and assaulted them under the protection of the occupation forces.
Bethlehem:
- Destroying 20 olive trees in the Umm al-Zuwitina area of the Kisan wilderness. Two days prior, settlers had destroyed 50 olive trees in the same location.
- Erecting settlement tent in the village of Rashayda, on land belonging to residents of the village, aiming to expand settlement activity.
- Issuing stop-work orders for 8 houses under construction, in addition to 2 other houses in the village of Wadi Rahal area. They also issued stop-work orders for 2 agricultural rooms belonging to residents Othman Mah’d al-Fawaghra and Samih Abdul Karim Rahal.
- Demolishing a house in the Um Rukba area of al-Khader town, claiming it was built without a permit. They also demolished a second, single-story house, measuring 140m2, in the same area, as well as a car wash.
- Demolishing a poultry farm in the Ush Ghurab area in Beit Sahour, and established a presence in Princess Garden, which they had previously demolished.
- Demolishing several caravans and a wall used as storage for building tools and equipment in the village of Walaja. They also demolished a concrete wall belonging to Hakam al-Salwadi and issued stop-work orders for 3 houses in Walaja, again citing lack of permits, also they issued stop-work orders for 15 houses in the Khallat al-Samak neighborhood in the north, also claiming they were built without permits.
Ramallah:
- Building 2 new settlement roads in Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate, on citizens’ lands in the town of Kober, and extending to the village of Bitello in Wadi Al-Shami in the villages of Kharbatha Bani Harith and Deir Qadis, northwest of Ramallah.
- Bulldozing citizens’ lands in the Taybeh town. The bulldozing operations come in the context of the settlers’ continued attempts to seize more citizens’ lands and expand the settlement outposts surrounding the town.
- Attacking the Turmusaya town from the eastern side, and grazed their sheep on citizens’ lands planted with olives and between citizens’ homes, in an attempt to provoke them. They besieged the house of citizen Alaa Hijaz in the eastern area of the town, and tried to storm it.
- Attacking the western area of the Sinjil town, while local sources said that the citizens confronted them while the occupation forces stormed the area to provide protection for the settlers.
- Attacking the Deir Dibwan town, seized a vehicle, and closed the iron gate that the occupation had installed at the entrance to the town.
- Attacking the family of citizen Nayef Kaabneh and cut water lines and electricity lines in the town of Taybeh. Settlers also attacked farmers while they were in one of the valleys located on the outskirts of the villages of Jamala and Bitello, with the aim of restricting them and preventing them from reaching their lands.
- Burning a vehicle shed in the village of Shuqba, north of the city, causing the fire to spread to large areas of it and the lands surrounding it.
Nablus:
- Storming farmers’ lands in the village of Qaryut and wreaked havoc in an attempt to prevent citizens from accessing and caring for their lands, amid continuous threats to the people there.
- Attacking citizens’ homes in the village of Burin, south of Nablus, after a group of them stormed the entrance to the village and fired live bullets at the citizens.
- Damaging an electricity pole in the Qammas area of the town, attacked a house in the Al-Haraiq area, and assaulted citizens’ property in the town of Beita.
- Closing a road linking the village of Duma and Khirbet Al-Marajem, south of Nablus, with dirt barriers. In the village of Burqa, a young man, 33 was injured and bruised as a result of settlers attacking him during an attack that targeted the village, and he was transferred to the hospital to receive treatment.
- Preventing farmers from harvesting their lands, seized the harvester key, and forced the farmers to leave their lands at gunpoint in the village of Salem.
- Attacking citizens’ homes in the village of Burin and assaulted a citizen and his sons, in addition to destroying 2 vehicles.
Jordan Valley:
- Displacing families from their lands in the northern Jordan Valley region, following the destruction of dozens of greenhouses, which constitute their primary source of livelihood, while settlers damaged a water transmission line and stole part of it in several areas in the Atuf area, east of the town of Tammoun.
- Destroying water meters and parts of irrigation networks belonging to the citizens, coinciding with continuous bulldozing operations carried out by the occupation to build a military road in the area.
- Storming a grape vineyard belonging to the citizen Nazir Muhammad Bsharat in the Atuf Plain, and attacked the workers there.
- Confiscating agricultural equipment and solar panels in the Al-Deir area in the northern Jordan Valley, and the ongoing restrictions imposed on citizens to push them to uproot and leave their lands in favor of settlement projects.
