Tel Aviv: Israeli settlement watch group Peace Now has reported a significant increase in the approval of construction plans within Israeli settlements.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the Higher Planning Council has approved more construction plans in the first three months of 2025 than in all of 2024.
Between January 1 and March 19, 2025, a total of 10,503 housing units were promoted, surpassing the 9,971 units approved throughout the entirety of 2024. This Wednesday, another 1,344 units are scheduled for approval.
This increase in approvals follows a policy change by the Netanyahu-Smotrich government in June 2023, which removed direct oversight by the political echelon over settlement planning. Previously, the approval process required the Minister of Defense's consent at every stage. After the election of President Trump in November 2024, the Planning Council shifted from quarterly to weekly meetings, marking a noticeable rise in the rate of plan approvals. This strategic move by the government appears to aim at normalizing settlement planning while minimizing scrutiny and leveraging global attention on Gaza to expedite settlement expansion. The government seems to be focusing on filling the 'planning reserves' with approved plans to ensure extensive future development.
