Israel Advances 153 Settlement Plans in West Bank During 2026

The Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission announced on Sunday that Israeli authorities have advanced 153 plans for illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. This activity includes East Jerusalem and targets the construction of more than 18,000 housing units since the beginning of 2026.

Monitoring data indicates a high level of planning activity aimed at expanding settlements across the region. Between the start of the year and September 13, officials advanced 100 plans targeting 12,300 housing units in the West Bank. Another 53 plans target 5,783 units in occupied East Jerusalem within municipal boundaries.

In September alone, twelve new residential plans were advanced for 2,340 housing units. These plans cover a total area of 1,761 dunams of occupied Palestinian land. Four of these plans were officially published, covering 670 units, while others moved through deposit procedures or received final approval from relevant committees.

The commission noted that minutes from a September 9 Planning Committee session recorded eight additional plans. These covered 1,670 new colonial units, with some granted final approval. Studies were also allocated for hundreds of units to consolidate sites like Amihai and Adei Ad, alongside legalization efforts for the Harasha outpost.

Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land are considered illegal under international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention. The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accelerated this expansion since late 2022. Previous reports noted hundreds of structural plans considered between October 2023 and mid-2026, constituting war crimes under international statutes.