On the outskirts of the Shiloah settlement in the West Bank, a construction company owned by two Israeli brothers is playing a significant role in accelerating the spread of unauthorized Jewish outposts. Libi Construction and Infrastructure Group, operated by Eliav and Harel “Koko” Libi, is developing a factory to mass-produce prefabricated housing units used to establish these outposts. Observations from a nearby road show at least five warehouses, rows of prefabricated homes, and building materials, with ongoing excavation suggesting plans to expand the facility.
This approach reflects a growing trend among settlers to quickly and cheaply assert control over large swaths of West Bank territory by bypassing formal regulatory processes. Unlike official settlements, which generally require government permits, many outposts begin with just one or two prefabricated homes set up without any legal authorization. These outposts are often inhabited by young Israeli shepherds who graze their livestock on land also used by Palestinian farmers and herders.
The international community, including the United Nations and numerous European countries, widely condemns all Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank as illegal under international law. Within Israel, unauthorized outposts are also prohibited, requiring prior approval for construction on land under Israeli administrative control. Despite this, the Libi brothers have reportedly received extensive support from the Israeli government in expanding their network of outposts, particularly amid a wave of settlement growth following the Hamas attacks on Israel in 2023 and the subsequent conflict in Gaza.
Analysis of the brothers’ activities indicates they were instrumental in establishing at least nine new agricultural outposts during this recent period. More broadly, settlers have created 184 unauthorized outposts in the West Bank between 2023 and 2025, a figure that nearly matches the total established over the previous 30 years.
The expansion of such outposts — often constructed without permits and on disputed land — continues to heighten tensions between Israeli settlers and Palestinian residents, complicating efforts toward a negotiated resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The rapid growth of these settlements, facilitated in part by enterprises like Libi Construction, raises critical questions about the future of land control and security in the West Bank.