Israeli authorities have accelerated plans to expand settlements in the West Bank ahead of an upcoming parliamentary election, raising concerns among Palestinians and international observers over the future viability of a Palestinian state. Under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right coalition, officials have recently issued tenders for thousands of new housing units in the contested E1 area near Jerusalem, a move viewed by critics as potentially severing the West Bank and East Jerusalem from one another.
In August, tenders were launched for 1,200 housing units in E1, followed by another tender for 2,100 units two weeks ago. The deadline for bid submissions was set just days before the national elections scheduled for October 27. The E1 project, long avoided by past governments due to its political sensitivity, is widely regarded as a critical point that would undermine a contiguous Palestinian territory and deal a severe blow to the prospects for a two-state solution.
Netanyahu’s coalition appears intent on establishing irreversible facts on the ground before the election, with analysts interpreting the accelerated settlement activity as an effort to limit the policy options of any future government. Opposition parties, led by former general Gadi Eisenkot, largely support more moderate approaches, but polls indicate a closely contested race.
Beyond E1, settlement expansion continues across the West Bank. The finance ministry, led by ultranationalist settler Bezalel Smotrich, has requested funds exceeding $11 million for land registration efforts in West Bank and East Jerusalem areas. Critics, including rights group Peace Now, warn that this could facilitate extensive land appropriation in occupied territories, where settlement activity remains illegal under international law.
Recent developments also include the re-establishment of the Kadim settlement in the northern West Bank, originally dismantled in 2005. The government has announced plans for 19 new settlements in the area, which threatens to fragment Palestinian communities and encircle cities like Jenin, according to Israeli analysts.
The surge in settlement activity has coincided with a sharp rise in violent attacks by settlers against Palestinians. Since the current government took office in 2022, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports more than 6,100 settler attacks on Palestinians and their property. These incidents have displaced thousands and further strained Palestinian access to land and resources, compounded by Israeli military checkpoints that extend travel times and disrupt economic life.
The Israeli military’s handling of settler violence has faced criticism for lax enforcement, with very few cases leading to conviction. Rights groups and Palestinians accuse the Israel Defense Forces of failing to protect civilians adequately, a point underscored by incidents such as the prolonged siege of a Palestinian family home in the village of Qusra.
While some supporters of the settlements frame the expansion as vital to Israel’s security and historical entitlement to the land, others see it as a political strategy intensifying division. Smotrich has openly stated the government aims to accommodate a significant increase in settler population, signaling an intent to solidify Israeli sovereignty over these areas.
The postponement of Palestinian legislative elections by President Mahmoud Abbas, attributed in part to Israeli-imposed restrictions, adds to the region’s political uncertainty. Observers note that even if a new Israeli government comes to power with a less hawkish stance, reversing the current settlement momentum is likely to be politically challenging, as many projects have been pushed beyond initial planning stages.
As the election approaches, the accelerated settlement efforts reflect a broader ideological commitment within Netanyahu’s coalition to deepen Israel’s presence in the West Bank, a move that continues to draw international scrutiny and exacerbate tensions in the region.