Israel’s Smotrich declares ‘revolution’ in West Bank settlement expansion

What Happened

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared a 'revolution in settlement' expansion, following the Israeli cabinet's approval to establish 13 new settlements in the central occupied West Bank. The settlements, considered illegal under international law, are placed along Route 60 and eastward toward the Jordan Valley, a move Palestinian officials say will further isolate occupied East Jerusalem. According to the Palestinian Forum for Israeli Studies (MADAR), state-funded outpost establishment surged from an annual average of 8 (2012-2022) to 32 in 2023, 62 in 2024, and 86 in 2025, backed by 75 million shekels in 2024 government funding. The expansion coincides with a UN-reported 130 percent surge in settler attacks since 2023, including the destruction of the main electricity line in al-Maniya village on Friday, vandalism of greenhouses near Tulkarem, and the seizure of the Ein Rawabi spring northeast of Jerusalem. The Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission (CWRC) documented 1,659 attacks by Israeli forces and settlers in May 2025, with settlers responsible for 551 incidents, resulting in the destruction of 7,222 trees including over 3,300 olive trees. Israeli authorities also carried out 70 demolition operations in May, destroying 155 Palestinian structures, mostly in Jerusalem governorate. Since 8 October 2023, the combined violence has killed 1,175 Palestinians and injured 12,919, with about 24,000 arrested and 33,000 displaced.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The settlement expansion and accompanying violence represent a systematic campaign to annex more West Bank land, further fragment Palestinian territory, and preempt the viability of a Palestinian state. The strategic placement along Route 60 and eastward cuts off East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank, which could trigger international condemnation and legal actions. The coordinated surge in outposts, settler attacks, and demolitions, accelerated under the most far-right Israeli government, signals a policy shift that risks escalating violence and destabilizing the region, potentially affecting ceasefire dynamics in Gaza and broader regional tensions.

Watch For

Monitor the actual construction or legalization of the 13 newly approved settlements, any moves to extend settlements into the Negev and Galilee, the Palestinian Authority's diplomatic response including potential UN or ICJ initiatives, continued settler attacks especially during olive harvest, and statements from the U.S. or other mediators regarding West Bank annexation.