RAMALLAH, June 17, 2026 (WAFA) – The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that settlement projects in the northern West Bank are being implemented at a very rapid pace.

The newspaper stated on its website that "a revolution is underway in the northern West Bank, where colonists are working to realize their dreams in settlements that were evacuated 20 years ago."

It referred to the "disengagement" plan implemented by the government of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in the summer of 2005, which included the evacuation of settlements and army bases in the Gaza Strip, in addition to four settlements in the northern West Bank.

The newspaper added that the settlement project is proceeding at a very rapid pace and is becoming a reality on the ground through the displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinians from their lands, with the support and facilitation of the Israeli occupation army.

Haaretz also cited military sources as saying that senior Israeli officials believe these developments could contribute to escalating tensions and potentially ignite broader conflict in the region.

It added that colonist representatives within the government are achieving political gains, while the military has allowed and supported many of the ongoing initiatives. It noted that this "revolution" began to accelerate immediately after the formation of the far-right Israeli government, and that the events of October 7, 2023, further intensified it.

Netanyahu's government is implementing accelerated settlement expansion policies, including land confiscation and the imposition of new facts on the ground. The international community considers settlements in the occupied territories illegal and an obstacle to the two-state solution.

Y.S