Zionist Regime Greenlights Construction of 126 Illegal Units in Former West Bank Settlement
Israel's far-right Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has authorized the development of 126 settler units in Sanur, a previously evacuated site in the northern occupied West Bank, a move that challenges longstanding international criticism.
Israeli media reported on Wednesday that Smotrich has directed the committee tasked with approving unauthorized settlement expansions to hold a meeting to deliberate and sanction new housing units in Sanur, a settlement within the Jenin Governorate that was evacuated in 2005.
In a statement released late Tuesday, it was announced that the plan will encompass commercial districts, paved road infrastructure, and designated areas for educational institutions, including schools and kindergartens.
In August, Smotrich made a visit to Sanur alongside a contingent of hardline settlers, marking two decades since the settlement’s evacuation in 2005.
Israeli media have reported that the purpose of his visit is to lay the groundwork for reconstruction efforts.
The move comes after Israel’s security cabinet recently sanctioned a contentious initiative to establish 19 new settlements in the West Bank.
Earlier this year, Israel annulled the Disengagement Law, thereby permitting settlers to return to the settlements of Sanur, Ganim, and Kadim, located near Jenin and Nablus.
In September, Smotrich unveiled a strategy to annex over 80 percent of the occupied West Bank, characterizing the initiative as a “preventative step” to deter international recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Israel has maintained control over the West Bank since 1967. Tensions have escalated across the region following the onset of intense military actions in Gaza beginning in October 2023.
Over the past two years, approximately 1,102 Palestinians have lost their lives in the occupied West Bank, with nearly 11,000 others sustaining injuries due to actions by the Israeli military and settlers.
Approximately 21,000 individuals have reportedly been taken captive by the forces of the occupying regime.
Human rights organizations have raised alarms over the increasing threat of ethnic cleansing faced by Palestinians in the West Bank, as violence in the region persists.
In July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) determined that Israel’s extended occupation of historic Palestine was unlawful, urging the dismantling of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
