Jenin: Israeli colonists have re-established the Ganim settlement on Palestinian-owned land east of Jenin city, 21 years after it was evacuated under Israel's 2005 disengagement plan. Israeli occupation forces secured the area by closing entrances and secondary roads from Haddad Roundabout to the Al-Jalama military checkpoint, ensuring the safety of the colonists and Israeli officials involved in the re-establishment.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, prominent figures such as Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, and Knesset members participated in the re-establishment. Tareq Ighbariyeh, the settlement affairs official in the Jenin governorate, expressed concerns about the implications of the colonists' return, warning that it represents a significant change in the geopolitical landscape of the area and poses risks to the geographical continuity of Palestinian communities.
Ighbariyeh highlighted that the re-establishment of Ganim could lead to increased military confrontations and fragment the governorate, turning it into a militarized zone. He also noted the growing influence of settlers and settlement councils on the Israeli government, which he believes undermines efforts to establish a contiguous Palestinian state.
The return to Ganim follows the demolition of 27 Palestinian structures in the Jenin governorate by Israeli forces. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that these demolitions are part of efforts to facilitate the return of settlements to the Ganim and Kadim areas. In late 2025, the Israeli government approved the re-establishment of Ganim and Kadim, along with plans for 19 other settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The Knesset's decision in March 2023 to repeal provisions prohibiting settlers from entering evacuated settlements has paved the way for their return. This has been marked by the reconstruction of a religious school at the Homesh site and has been accompanied by attacks on Palestinian residents, military post establishments, and restrictions on movement.
The re-establishment of Ganim aligns with broader Israeli strategies to expand control over the northern West Bank, facilitating the return of settlers to previously evacuated areas and preparing necessary infrastructure and military positions. This move coincides with the transfer of powers to far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich, advancing Israel's de facto annexation efforts and creating new settlement realities that challenge the prospect of a geographically contiguous Palestinian state.