{"id":35023,"date":"2020-10-15T13:13:50","date_gmt":"2020-10-15T10:13:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/peacenow.org.il\/?p=35023"},"modified":"2020-11-03T20:24:08","modified_gmt":"2020-11-03T17:24:08","slug":"4948-settlement-units-advanced-at-october-2020-higher-planning-council-sessions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/peacenow.org.il\/en\/4948-settlement-units-advanced-at-october-2020-higher-planning-council-sessions","title":{"rendered":"4,948 Settlement Units Advanced at October 2020 Higher Planning Council Sessions"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Higher Planning Council of the Israeli Civil Administration approved 4,948 settlement units in a couple dozen plans on 14 and 15 October 2020. These approvals make\u00a02020 the highest year on record in terms of\u00a0units in settlement plans promoted<\/a> since Peace Now began recording in 2012.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Among these 4,948 units, 2,260 were approved for deposit (first major stage)<\/a> and 2,688 were approved for validation (second and often final major stage<\/a>). Virtually all units (except 2) will be in areas Israel may have to evacuate in the context of a two-state solution (calculation based on the\u00a0Geneva Initiative<\/a>\u00a0lines).<\/p>\n

These approvals official make 2020 the highest year on record in terms of\u00a0units in settlement plans promoted<\/a>\u00a0since Peace Now began recording in 2012. The count so far is 12,159 units approved in 2020, with the possibility for another HPC meeting for another round of approvals before year’s end.<\/strong>\u00a0Likewise, it represents a spike in approvals during the Trump Era, when Israeli settlement activity has dramatically increased since the US Administration has shown less pressure on settlement expansion and Israeli domestic politics have correspondingly pushed for more activity.<\/p>\n

In calculating units approved per year, Peace Now subtracts units already approved in earlier stages earlier in the year. This practice avoids double counting and provides a more accurate reading of the total amount of units advanced per year. Thus, Peace Now’s count for these October approvals is slightly lower than those released by the Civil Administration.<\/p>\n

This was the first round of approvals in eight months and since Benny Gantz became Defense Minister, as well as since the Abraham Accords when Israel officially tabled annexation. While de jure annexation may be suspended, the de facto annexation of settlement expansion is clearly continuing. These recent approvals put to rest any speculation about a de facto settlement freeze.<\/p>\n

See here for the\u00a0list of the\u00a04,948 settlement units to be advanced<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Peace Now:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cWhile Israel reels from its second lockdown and economic distress, Netanyahu is promoting construction in isolated settlements that Israel will have to evacuate.\u00a0Instead of taking advantage of the agreements with the Gulf states and promoting peace with the Palestinians, he is distorting Israel\u2019s priorities and catering to a fringe minority for these settlement unit approvals that will continue to harm future prospects for peace.\u00a0The move is the first major demonstration of Defense Minister Benny Gantz\u2019s bowing to the \u2018Greater Israel\u2019 settlement agenda that would in reality bring about a permanent undemocratic one-state reality. By doing so, Israel is signaling to the world its bi-partisan support for the end to the concept of a two-state solution and a Palestinian state \u2013 the paradigm that until now has largely shielded Israel from formal pressure over its 53-year occupation. The settlement enterprise is not in Israel\u2019s national or security interest, and is a strategic mistake at the national and international level.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Some noteworthy plans:<\/p>\n