New West Bank settlements spark fear and disruption for Palestinian families
Palestinians near the newly opened Emek Dotan settlement report land loss, intimidation and daily threats as Israeli settlements expand in the north West Bank.
A Palestinian family living near the newly inaugurated Emek Dotan settlement says settlers erected a rope across their land, preventing them from reaching a chicken farm and olive groves, and have taken hens and damaged vegetation with ATVs. Similar grievances are echoed throughout the West Bank, where the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs records about six settler-related incidents daily, including theft, vandalism and occasional murder.
Under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel approved a plan in December that legalised 17 additional settlements in the north, aiming to connect them and overturn parts of the Oslo framework. The expansion has been accompanied by demolitions of Palestinian shops near new outposts such as Ganim and Kadim, and the establishment of an Israeli military base inside Jenin’s Area A. Residents report increased bulldozing of access roads, harassment by armed settler security teams, and a pervasive sense of being surrounded by settlements.
Why it matters
The settlement surge intensifies Palestinian displacement and heightens tensions in a volatile region.
How this story developed
- Jul 26 Israeli forces and settlers launch sweeping raids across West Bank after deadly Nablus shootout
- Aug 3 Gaza civilians say Donald Trump's announced plan to disarm Hamas and end the war feels out of touch as Israeli strikes kill dozens and expand occupied zones.
- Aug 5 The Israeli military began precision attacks in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, saying they responded to a Hezbollah breach after previously urging residents of Mansouri to evacuate.
- Aug 5 Hamas envoy says the disarmament pact was taken to safeguard Gaza’s population.
- Aug 6 Israel issued an evacuation order for Mansouri and began targeted strikes in southern Lebanon.
- Aug 7 Iran and Oman moved toward an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
- Aug 7 Settlers set fire to homes in Khirbet al‑Tuba, marking the latest incident in the ongoing wave of violence.
- Aug 12 Extremist Israeli settlers have surrounded the Abu Ridi and Hassan families in Qusra, cutting utilities and blocking exits, while Israeli forces withdrew and the UN cautioned that the West Bank is at a breaking point.
- Aug 13 Israeli troops entered six homes in Qusra and consolidated the besieged families into one house.
- Aug 13 Israel announced a plan to create a "Samaria" national park covering roughly 450 acres of olive‑grove land near Sebastia.
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