The Jerusalem Governorate has warned that Israel’s approval of 13 new illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank will further isolate the city from its Palestinian surroundings.
– In a statement, the governorate said the Israeli security cabinet’s decision fits a broader pattern of accelerated illegal settlement expansion around elections. The first phase, due within months, will add four to six settlements and formalise existing outposts.
– The plan spans two areas – from northwest Jerusalem through western Ramallah along Route 60, and east to the Jordan Valley – extending Israeli control over roads and hilltops, while restricting Palestinian movement across Area C, which comprises 60 percent of the occupied West Bank.
– According to the Washington-based think tank the Middle East Institute, settlement expansion in Area C has surged since 2022, accompanied by home demolitions and land seizures.
https://aje.news/q7i2v0?update=4728330