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Israeli Enforcement in West Bank Surges with Record Demolitions of Illegal Palestinian Structures
The Israeli Civil Administration reports a sharp rise in demolitions of illegal Palestinian structures in the West Bank, reaching 536 in early 2026. Minister Bezalel Smotrich credits this to a new enforcement policy reversing previous inaction and highlights expanded settlement activity and land protection efforts.
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What happened
- 01Demolitions of illegal Palestinian buildings in the West Bank rose from 250 in early 2022 to 536 in early 2026.
- 02The increase follows a policy shift under Minister Bezalel Smotrich's leadership.
- 032023 saw a temporary drop in demolitions due to war, but numbers quickly rebounded.
- 04Palestinians sometimes demolish their own structures to avoid official enforcement.
- 05Smotrich criticized past Israeli inaction against the Salam Fayyad plan for Palestinian state-building in Area C.
- 06The government has established 104 new settlements and 160 farms protecting over one million dunams of state land.
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