Israel’s Slow War on the West Bank
Israel has reestablished the West Bank settlement of Sa-Nur, marking a symbolic reversal of its 2005 disengagement policy and signaling intensified efforts to expand settlements and undermine Palestinian statehood. The move, championed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and settler leaders, is part of a broader strategy to increase pressure on the Palestinian Authority and reshape the territorial and political landscape of the West Bank. This campaign, accelerated since October 2023, risks destabilizing the region and collapsing the current governance structure in the West Bank.
- ▪Israel formally reestablished the West Bank settlement of Sa-Nur in April 2026, the last of four settlements evacuated in 2005.
- ▪Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich described the reestablishment of Sa-Nur as a 'historic correction' and has advocated policies aimed at ending Palestinian statehood.
- ▪Smotrich holds dual roles in Israel's government, overseeing both the Finance Ministry and key West Bank administrative powers, including zoning and construction.
- ▪The settlement movement's success reflects a broader strategy to expand Israeli control in the West Bank, restrict Palestinian space, and weaken the Palestinian Authority.
- ▪The situation in the West Bank has grown increasingly volatile since October 2023, with rising violence and Israeli military incursions into PA-controlled areas.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Argument An expert’s point of view on a current event. Israel’s Slow War on the West Bank Israeli leaders seem increasingly comfortable with the collapse of the Palestinian Authority. By Rob Geist Pinfold, a lecturer in international security at King’s College London, a research fellow at the Peace Research Center Prague, and an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University. A Star of David made up of black-painted wooden planks stands in a field, surrounded by tall grasses and scattered rocks. Fluffy white clouds drift by against a blue sky overhead. A Star of David is placed near the home of Musa al-Adra, 43, in the Rajoum Aali area of Masafer Yatta in the occupied West Bank, on April 28. Mosab Shawer / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images Get audio access with any FP subscription.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Foreign Policy.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from Foreign Policy
