Jerusalem: The Israeli Ministerial Committee on National Security Affairs has approved the establishment of 19 new colonies in the occupied West Bank. This decision, made last night, marks a significant development in the region.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the proposal was put forward by Israeli army minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The approved colonies include 'Ganim' and 'Kadim,' which were previously evacuated in 2005 as part of the disengagement plan from the Gaza Strip and the northern West Bank.
Israeli media outlets reported on Friday that the newly approved colonies consist of both older colonies and others that are already in advanced stages of establishment. The Nahala movement, a colonial organization, viewed the decision to return to Ganim and Kadim as an important step, indicating a firm stance that 'the whole land of Israel is ours.'
The movement further emphasized that the Israeli government's ability to restore colonies dismantled in the northern West Bank signals the potential reinstatement of Jewish colonization in the Gaza Strip. Finance Minister Smotrich has also announced a plan to allocate 2.7 billion shekels in the state budget for 2026 to establish 17 new colonies in the West Bank over the next five years.