Security cabinet designates 13 existing West Bank settlement neighborhoods as independent settlements, with their own councils, eased funding

The security cabinet approves a decision to split off 13 so-called “neighborhoods” of existing West Bank settlements from their “mother settlements,” thereby turning them into 13 independent settlements.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who advanced the security cabinet’s decision in his additional role as minister in the Defense Ministry, describes the move as an important step to the path of “de facto [Israeli] sovereignty” over the West Bank.

The “neighborhoods” in question were built many years, and even decades, ago, as illegal settlement outposts, that is, without formal cabinet approval.

Some of these outposts were retroactively legalized by the government by way of approving building plans for the construction of a new neighborhood for an authorized and legal settlement at the site of the illegal outpost, even when, as in many cases, that outpost was several kilometers from the original settlement.

This was all done at a time when Israel was cautious about the diplomatic consequences of settlement expansion, and therefore built the so-called settlement “neighborhoods” to disguise the reality of settlement expansion.

The decision now to formally split off the neighborhoods as new settlements allows the government to provide budgets for each of the new settlements individually, as opposed to designating money for it through its old mother settlement. They will also all get their own municipal council.

The new settlements are Alon; Haresha; Kerem Reim; Neriya; Migron; Shvut Rachel; Ovnat; Brosh Habika; Leshem; Nofei Nehemia; Tal Menashe; Ibei Hanahal, and Gvaot.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who advanced the security cabinet’s decision in his additional role as minister in the defense ministry, said the previous situation caused those neighborhoods “great difficulties in their daily management,” and that the new step will help them to “advance and develop.”

Added Smotrich “We are continuing to lead a revolution in the normalization and formalization of settlements. Instead of hiding and apologizing, we are raising the flag, building and settling. This is another important step on the way to de facto [Israeli] sovereignty in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank].”