Israeli Cabinet Approves Over 100 New West Bank Settlements with Multi-Billion Shekel Budgets

About a month ago, Israel's Security Cabinet approved a budget of approximately 1.3 billion shekels for the establishment of new settlements in the West Bank. This decision was kept secret until now to avoid diplomatic tensions with the United States amid strained relations at the time. Today, an additional decision from March was published for the first time, authorizing the construction of 34 new settlements in the West Bank. Furthermore, the government is set to approve another budget of 1.075 billion shekels this evening for building roads to these new communities.

These recent approvals add to previous authorizations during the current government’s tenure, bringing the total number of new settlements approved to 103. The new settlements will be strategically located across several West Bank regions: nine in Samaria, seven in Binyamin, four in the Hebron Hills, seven in the Jordan Valley, six in Gush Etzion, and one in the Megilot Regional Council. Temporary names have been assigned to these settlements, including Aloni Shomron, Rom Gilboa, Emek Dotan, and others, with two additional communities, Mitzpe Yair and Yeshuv Hadaat, approved for formal recognition.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who co-initiated the proposal with Defense Minister Israel Katz, described the project as a "significant strategic and security decision" and a foundational part of a settlement revolution aimed at preventing the establishment of a terror state within Israel’s heartland. The 1.3 billion shekel budget will fund "pioneer neighborhoods" in these settlements, enabling initial habitation alongside ongoing development. Smotrich emphasized that the funds ensure these plans will materialize on the ground, with infrastructure, roads, and housing progressing rapidly, potentially starting as early as this summer.

Settlement and Construction Minister Yoav Kitzinger highlighted that the budget marks the transition from planning to execution, strengthening Israel’s hold across its territory and securing its future. The upcoming 1.075 billion shekel budget will cover multi-year road construction and upgrades, including access roads and security features, also encompassing four settlements previously evacuated in northern Samaria: Homesh, Sa-Nur, Ganim, and Kadim. This infrastructure plan will span three years and include connecting roads between settlements.

Settlement Minister Orit Strook called the decision the largest Zionist-settlement initiative since Israel’s founding, aiming to ensure no area in the West Bank remains unpopulated. The government’s comprehensive approach combines settlement expansion with strategic infrastructure development to solidify Israeli presence in the region.