The Higher Planning Council (HPC) of the Civil Administration in the West Bank will hold a discussion next Monday, June 26th, regarding the promotion of 4,799 housing units through 28 plans for 18 settlements, including the authorization of an outpost. Out of the total plans, 18 are intended for depositing, consisting of approximately 3,365 housing units, while 6 plans for around 1,434 housing units will be discussed for validation. 4 additional plans do not include housing units. One plan, for 347 housing units, is to retroactively legalize the Palgei Maim outpost as a neighborhood within the Eli settlement. Beyond its retroactive authorization, the plan will also significantly increase the outposts size and population, as it currently consists of approx. 50 housing units (roughly half of them caravans and the other half permanent structures).
Only four months ago, the HPC approved the promotion of 7,349 housing units. This means that in less than half a year, 12,149 housing units were advanced in the settlements through the planning procedure. For comparison, in the entire year of 2022, the HPC advanced 4,427 housing units.
Last week, on June 13th, it was reported in the media about the intention of the HPC to promote building plans for approximately 4,500 housing units. With the publication of the HPC’s agenda yesterday, it seems that the intention is to promote the construction of 4,799 housing units. Thus, in a single day, more housing units will be advanced in the settlements than all of the units advanced in the year 2022.
Among the plans that will be advanced, approximately 870 housing units are in Givat Ze’ev settlement through four different plans. In Eli, 499 housing units will be advanced, including 347 within the Palgei Maim outpost (considered a neighborhood of the Eli settlement). In Revava, 399 housing units will be advanced, and in Neve Tzuf (Halamish), 330 housing units will be advanced, significantly expanding the Elisha outpost (Tzofit), an outpost that was retroactively legalized as a neighborhood of Neve Tzuf in 2015.
The significant size of some of the plans will completely change the composition of many of the settlements. For example, the addition of 330 housing units in Neve Tzuf implies a doubling of the population in the entire settlement, which currently stands at approximately 1,500 people. The advancement of 310 housing units in the Adora settlement implies a tripling of the current population, which is less than 500 people. In Ma’ale Amos, the addition of 152 housing units implies almost a doubling of the settlement. These settlements are located deep in the West Bank and will not be part of Israel in any future peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.
Out of all the plans, 2,310 housing units are designated for the depths of the West Bank, including the settlements of Eli, Ma’ale Amos, Carmel, Telem, Adora, Migdalim, Halamish/Neve Tzuf, Kiryat Arba, Metzad (Asfar), Revava, and Adora.
The announcement regarding the plan to advance 4,799 housing units was published on Sunday, June 18, the same day the government decided to change the approval process for plans in the West Bank and transfer exclusive responsibility and authority to Minister Smotrich, thus eliminating the need for approval from the political echelon in the various planning stages.
Peace Now: “The Israeli government is advancing us at an unprecedented pace towards the annexation of the West Bank. The promotion of nearly 5,000 housing units, including the authorization of a settlement in the heart of the West Bank, joins a series of destructive decisions that the government has advanced, including yesterday’s decision granting exclusive power to Minister Smotrich for promoting settlements in the occupied territories. As the world remains silent and public attention is focused on preventing the judicial coup, the government is rushing towards an annexation coup turning Israel into an apartheid state.”
Here is the complete list of plans to be discussed on Monday, June 26, 2023:
Carmel – 42 housing units, validation (Plan 2/1/507), expanding construction in the village towards the southeast.
Telem – 196 housing units, deposition discussion (Plan 1/1/501).
Ariel – 98 housing units, deposition (Plan 15/130).
Elkana – 351 housing units, validation (Plan 25/125).
Givat Ze’ev – 228 housing units, deposition (Plan 28/220).
Givat Ze’ev – 98 housing units, validation (Plan 28/10/220).
Givat Ze’ev – 486 housing units, validation (Plan 31/220).
Givat Ze’ev – 58 housing units, validation (Plan 16/10/220).
Ma’ale Adumim – 340 housing units, deposit (Plan 25/6/1/420).
Kiryat Arba – 120 housing units, deposit (Plan 3/22/510).
Migdalim – 184 housing units, deposit (Plan 4/142).
Etz Efraim – 12 housing units, deposit (Plan 16/126).
Etz Efraim – 252 housing units, deposit (Plan 6/126), expanding the built area to the north.
Revava – 399 housing units, validation (Plan 5/170).
Eli – 152 housing units, deposit (Plan 8/237).
Palgei Maim (Eli) – 347 housing units, deposit (Plan 6/237)
Hashmonaim – 150 housing units, deposit (Plan 3/3/208).
Ma’ale Amos – 152 housing units, deposit (Plan 1/1/5/413).
Metzad (Asfar) – 78 housing units, deposit (Plan 1/1/2/414).
Adora – 310 housing units, deposit (Plan 1/3/516).
Beitar Illit – 46 housing units, deposit (Plan 16/ב/7/426).
Beitar Illit – 68 housing units, deposit (Plan 17/ב/7/426).
Beitar Illit – 198 housing units, deposit(Plan 21/3/1/426).
Karnei Shomron – 68 housing units, deposit (Plan 2/5/116).
Karnei Shomron – 36 housing units, deposit (Plan 1/5/1/117).
Halamish/Neve Tzuf – 330 housing units, deposit (Plan 7/203).
Total: 4,799 housing units.