Israel greenlights 22 new communities in Judea & Samaria to 'strengthen protective wall' against threats

The Israeli Defense Ministry on Thursday confirmed the government’s decision to establish 22 new communities in Israel’s Biblical heartland Judea and Samaria, internationally known as the West Bank. The new communities reportedly include Sa-Nur and Homesh, two former communities in northern Samaria that were evacuated by Israel during the disengagement from the Gaza Strip in 2005.

Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich – who also serves as a minister within the defense ministry – welcomed the construction project as “a step that will change the face of the area and shape the future of settlement for years to come.”

Katz explained the rationale behind the decision to establish new Israeli communities in the area.

“Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria constitutes an essential protective wall for the security of the large population centers in Israel and we must do everything in order to broaden and strengthen this wall of protection,” the defense minister said, adding that the decision to begin construction was “also a strategic step to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state that would endanger Israel.”

The Defense Ministry also addressed the decision to revive the communities.

“This decision paves the way for the renewal of Jewish settlement in Homesh and Sa-Nur – a process that corrects a historic injustice and signifies a strong stance on our right to the land.”

The current Netanyahu-led government is overwhelmingly opposed to the idea of a two-state solution, which it views as a threat to Israel’s long-term security as both the Palestinian Authority (PA) and its rival, the Hamas terrorist organization, have sought to destroy the Jewish state.

Furthermore, following the Hamas Oct. 7 massacre of 1,200 Israelis in 2023, polls indicate that the majority of Israelis are currently opposed to the two-state solution and views an independent Palestinian state on its borders as a threat to Israel’s security.

While most of the international community views Judea and Samaria as “Occupied Palestinian territories” and considers such settlements a violation of international law, Israel maintains that the territory is disputed – not occupied – and emphasizes its historical, legal, and security claims to the land.

Smotrich, who resides in the Jewish community of Kedumim in Samaria, welcomed the decision to build 22 new communities as a “big day for settlement and an important day for the State of Israel,” calling it a “once-in-a-generation decision.”

“Through hard work and tenacious leadership, we have succeeded, thank God, in creating a deep strategic change, returning the State of Israel to the track of construction, Zionism, and vision,” Smotrich continued.

“Settlement in the land our ancestors inherited is a protective wall for the State of Israel – and today we have taken a huge step for its strengthening. The next step – sovereignty!,” he said, referring to his political goal to ultimately annex Judea and Samaria.

“No foreign land have we taken, but rather the inheritance of our ancestors,” he concluded.

Following the U.S. presidential election in November 2024, Smotrich and other far-right Israeli officials stated that re-elected President Donald Trump would greenlight their goal of annexing Judea and Samaria into the State of Israel. Smotrich congratulated Trump’s election victory at the time, calling it “an important opportunity” for Israel to apply its sovereignty over the Judea and Samaria region.

In March 2025, the Israeli Security Cabinet approved a plan to separate 13 existing Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria from their neighboring (Arab) communities.

Smotrich’s enthusiasm may be premature, as Trump has signaled that his priority is expanding the historic Abraham Accords – which normalized relations between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. Given the Arab world’s strong opposition to Israeli territorial ambitions in Judea and Samaria, Trump is likely to pressure Jerusalem to avoid actions that could hinder further normalization, particularly with Saudi Arabia.