Settlement in Judea and Samaria expands: 18 new jurisdictions signed

The Commander of the Central Command signed on Tuesday 18 new jurisdictions for communities in Judea and Samaria, including new settlements, young settlements, and veteran communities. The move comes as part of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's policy to expand and regulate the settlements, with 70 new jurisdictions promoted in less than a year.

Among the communities for which new jurisdictions were signed are Diya in Binyamin, Sha-Nur East and Shira in Samaria, Elisha and Tzuri in the Jordan Valley, as well as Keren Yaar, Mashuot Har, Givat Adulam, and Pnei Kedem in Gush Etzion.

Alongside this, amendments were also signed for the jurisdictions of veteran communities, including Leshem, Itamar, and Reihan in Samaria, as well as Maskiyot in the Jordan Valley.

As part of the move, several councils are expected to expand significantly. In Karnei Shomron, the Dorot neighborhood is expected to expand and join the council's umbrella agreement with the Israel Land Authority. In Efrat, the expansion of the Givat HaEitam neighborhood is expected, which will allow for the construction of thousands of new housing units, and in Oranit, the council is expected to expand for the first time beyond the separation fence, with hundreds of new housing units to the north.

Smotrich welcomed the signing and said that it is "another significant step in the revolution we are making in Judea and Samaria," noting that in less than a year, 70 new jurisdictions have been promoted. According to him, the move is intended to strengthen the new communities, the young settlements, and the veteran communities. He further added:

"Against the Eisenkot-Lieberman-Golan government that wants and plans to evacuate communities and establish a Palestinian state – we are strengthening and fortifying the settlement movement."