The Israeli occupation authorities have approved a large-scale plan to construct 1,300 new illegal settlement units in the Gush Etzion bloc, south of occupied Jerusalem, in a move widely condemned as a blatant violation of international law and a new escalation against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

According to Israeli Channel 14, the plan involves the construction of residential units in the so-called “Mount Rus” neighborhood, located south of the Alon Shvut settlement. The project reportedly includes schools, public facilities, parks, and a major commercial zone intended to serve settlers in neighboring colonies — described by Israeli officials as the most significant urban expansion in the area in recent years.

The announcement comes amid an alarming rise in settler violence and systematic land seizures across the occupied territories. The Jerusalem Governorate reported that the occupation authorities have issued demolition and work-stoppage notices to at least 30 Palestinian-owned homes in the East Jerusalem neighborhoods of Al-Isawiya and Al-Zaim, part of a broader campaign to depopulate Palestinian areas and expand Jewish-only settlements.

Meanwhile, settler groups have carried out numerous attacks in recent weeks across the West Bank. In the village of Deir Nizam, north of Ramallah, settlers targeted Palestinian vehicles, while in Turmus Ayya, they set fire to farmlands, destroying dozens of ancient olive trees — a vital source of livelihood for local families.

In a parallel development, the Knesset advanced a controversial bill aimed at enforcing Israeli sovereignty over parts of the occupied West Bank, including Maale Adumim settlement. The draft law, proposed by far-right Noam Party leader Avi Maoz, passed its preliminary reading despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempts to postpone it amid growing international criticism.

Analysts warn that the settlement approval and legislative push mark a dangerous escalation that undermines any prospects for peace. By expanding its illegal presence and entrenching apartheid policies, Israel risks provoking further unrest and deepening the suffering of Palestinian communities under occupation. (ILKHA)