Israel approved unprecedented settlement plans in first three months of 2025, says Peace Now

Israel’s Higher Planning Council approved more construction plans in illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories in the past three months than in all of 2024, Peace Now has revealed.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Israeli human rights organisation pointed out that between 1 January and 19 March this year, a total of 10,503 housing units were promoted, surpassing the 9,971 units approved throughout the whole of 2024. It added that another 1,344 units are scheduled for approval today.

The Israeli rights watchdog explained that the acceleration follows a significant change in policy where, in June 2023, the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich removed the direct oversight of the political echelon over settlement planning. It noted that prior to this shift, every stage in the approval process required the approval of the minister of defence.

The rate of settlement plan approvals increased markedly after Donald Trump’s election win in November last year. The Planning Council moved from quarterly to weekly meetings, approving hundreds of housing units at a time, said Peace Now. The shift appears to be part of the government’s strategy to normalise settlement planning and growth, reduce domestic and international scrutiny, and capitalise on the global focus on Gaza to advance settlement expansion.

“It seems that the government is seeking to ‘fill the planning reserves’ with as many approved plans as possible, ensuring the potential for extensive future development,” said the rights group. “Instead of caring for the [Israeli] hostages [in Gaza] and ensuring Israel’s security, the Netanyahu-Smotrich government is deepening the conflict and further sabotaging any chance for a peaceful resolution. The government is pushing forward plans on an unprecedented scale across the West Bank that will ultimately come at a great cost to all Israelis in the form of prolonged violence and enormous financial burdens.”

According to Peace Now estimates, more than 720,000 Israeli settlers live in settlements and settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank, including the eastern neighbourhoods of occupied Jerusalem.

All of Israel’s settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem are illegal under international law. Settlement outposts are actually illegal under Israeli law as well.

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