The Palestinian Authority has accused Israel of entrenching its hold over the occupied West Bank after Israeli authorities approved 19 new settlements, a move Ramallah says further erodes prospects for a future Palestinian state and hardens realities on the ground.
The decision has reignited long-running tensions, with language on both sides turning sharper as bulldozers moved in within days.
Ramallah condemns what it calls a dangerous escalation
The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority reacted swiftly, issuing a statement that framed the approvals as part of a broader strategy to cement Israeli dominance across Palestinian land.
The PA foreign ministry said the step amounted to “tightening colonial control” over the West Bank and described it as a continuation of settlement expansion and annexation policies that, in its words, strip Palestinians of their inalienable rights.
Officials warned that recognizing new settlements provides political backing for land seizures and the rapid expansion of settlement infrastructure, while also coinciding with what they described as a rise in attacks by settlers on Palestinian residents and property.
For the PA, the issue is not just the number of settlements, but the message they send. Each approval, officials argue, redraws facts on the ground in ways that are hard to reverse.
Smotrich frames move as blocking a Palestinian state
The announcement came Sunday from Israel’s far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, who said authorities had greenlit the 19 settlements with a clear political goal.
According to Smotrich, the move was meant to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state.
That framing left little room for ambiguity.
His office said the latest approvals bring the total number of settlements authorized over the past three years to 69, marking a sharp shift from earlier policy. Before the current government took office at the end of 2022, Israel had largely avoided approving new settlements or legalizing outposts since the late 1990s.
Supporters of the policy argue it corrects years of restraint. Critics say it locks in permanent division.
Bulldozers already at work near Jenin
The approvals were not merely theoretical.
On Monday, Israeli bulldozers were seen breaking ground in the Sarouj area, between the towns of Silat al-Harithiya and Yamoun, west of Jenin. The images, circulated widely, became an immediate symbol of how fast political decisions translate into physical change.
For nearby Palestinian communities, construction often means restricted access, new security zones, and altered movement patterns. Even small projects can ripple outward, reshaping daily life.
Local residents say uncertainty grows whenever construction begins, because it’s rarely clear how far boundaries will shift.
Who lives in the West Bank today
The West Bank remains one of the most contested territories in the world.
Excluding East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed in 1967, more than 500,000 Israelis now live in settlements across the West Bank. They share the territory with roughly three million Palestinians.
Internationally, most countries view Israeli settlements in the West Bank as illegal under international law, a position Israel disputes. The disagreement has been a constant feature of diplomatic exchanges for decades.
Each new settlement approval adds weight to arguments that a two-state solution is slipping further out of reach.
The newly approved settlements
Israel has named all 19 settlements included in the latest decision, many of which were previously unauthorized outposts now receiving formal recognition.
They include Kida, Esh Kodesh, Givat Harel, Mishol, Kochav Hashachar-North, Nof Gilad, Ganim, Kadim, Shalem, Har Bezek, Reihanit, Rosh Ha’ayin-East, Tammun, P’nei Kedem, Yatziv, Ya’ar El Keren, Allenby, Yitav-West, and Nahal Doron.
For Israeli settlers, recognition can bring infrastructure, legal clarity, and state services. For Palestinians nearby, it often signals tighter restrictions and long legal battles.
The contrast fuels anger on one side and resolve on the other.
A wider political signal
Beyond the immediate impact, analysts say the approvals are meant to send a broader signal.
The current Israeli government has consistently emphasized settlement growth as a core policy pillar. By moving quickly and publicly, ministers reinforce that stance domestically and internationally.
For the Palestinian Authority, the move reinforces a sense of marginalization, especially as diplomatic efforts to restart meaningful negotiations remain stalled.
Officials in Ramallah argue that settlement expansion undermines any remaining faith in a negotiated outcome. Israeli leaders counter that security and national interests come first.
The gap between those positions remains wide.
Rising tension, familiar pattern
The episode fits a pattern seen many times before. Settlement announcements prompt Palestinian condemnation, international concern, and brief diplomatic flurries. Construction continues. The underlying dispute remains unresolved.
What feels different now, observers say, is the pace and openness of approvals compared with earlier years.
As bulldozers press forward and statements harden, the West Bank once again becomes a focal point of regional tension, with each new project adding weight to an already fragile situation.
