Israel’s government is preparing to rapidly expand Jewish settlements across the occupied West Bank in a significant pre-election initiative, according to a draft proposal and an official familiar with the plan. The move involves allocating hundreds of millions of dollars to establish temporary housing at approximately 60 vacant sites, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration aiming to create new, difficult-to-reverse facts on the ground ahead of national elections this fall.

Under the plan, each site would receive 15 mobile homes and two community structures, formally designated as “temporary sites” to expedite their establishment. The government had initially planned to approve the proposal on Thursday but deferred the decision to the smaller security cabinet for Sunday approval, a forum where deliberations remain confidential. Officials have sought to limit public and international scrutiny of the initiative.

This expansion is intended to strengthen Israel’s control over territories widely regarded internationally as part of a future Palestinian state. Since the current government took office in late 2022, settlement activity has surged, with one Israeli activist group noting an 80 percent increase in settlement growth during that period. Critics characterize the government’s actions as an aggressive land grab, while the administration frames it as a necessary step to prevent the emergence of a Palestinian state on disputed land.

Israel maintains that the West Bank is disputed territory whose status should be resolved through negotiations, which have been stalled for over a decade without prospects for resumption. Some members of Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition have advocated for Israeli sovereignty to be declared over parts of the West Bank. The expansion fits into a wider set of contentious policies pursued by the current government before the anticipated elections, despite norms discouraging binding decisions by outgoing administrations.

Key figures such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a leading proponent of settlements, have emphasized the government’s transformative approach, highlighting approvals for over 100 new settlements, tens of thousands of housing units, and numerous agricultural farms since the term began. More than 500,000 Israeli settlers currently live in the West Bank alongside approximately three million Palestinians.

The 60 sites targeted for immediate settlement were approved months ago but have yet to pass the lengthy official planning and authorization process. The upcoming decision seeks to bypass these procedures, accelerating the implantation of communities with accompanying infrastructure and resident settlers. Funding has also been designated for roads and community development over the next few years to solidify these new outposts.

The expansion drive follows a rise in settler violence and property attacks against Palestinians in recent years, intensifying amid regional conflicts including the October 2023 Hamas-led assault on Israel and the ensuing Gaza war. Israeli attitudes toward Palestinians have hardened since then, though the government has faced waning support. Settlement hardliners, including Smotrich, are intent on demonstrating progress to their constituencies.

This latest initiative represents one of the most rapid and extensive settlement expansions seen in years, reflecting the government’s commitment to reshaping the West Bank landscape before the coming elections and potentially constraining the policy options of any future Israeli administration.