Overview
- Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the security cabinet approved 19 settlements he advanced with Defense Minister Israel Katz.
- The decision includes retroactive legalization of outposts and the reinstatement of Ganim and Kadim, which Israel evacuated in 2005 near Jenin.
- Peace Now reports the recognized settlements have risen to roughly 210, a near 50% increase since 2022 with 69 approvals in recent years.
- Under widely cited international law, the settlements are considered illegal, and UN chief António Guterres warned the expansion threatens a viable Palestinian state.
- UN monitors documented a surge in settler violence, averaging eight attacks per day during the October olive harvest, with additional incidents logged in November.