Israeli extremist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has earmarked about $843 million over the next five years to expand illegal settlement activity in the occupied West Bank, in what local media described as a form of “de facto annexation.”
The daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Monday that the funds, designated for building new illegal settlements, opening access roads, strengthening security and formalising land records, represent an unprecedented allocation.
A central component includes relocating three Israeli army bases to northern occupied West Bank areas, which the newspaper called a major step.
“Billions of shekels are intended to reshape the settlements,” the paper said, noting that the budget covers the transfer of military bases, infrastructure development for dozens of new settlements, access roads and expanded defence systems.
The five-year package targets “all elements that strengthen Israeli governance” in the occupied West Bank.
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Unprecedented steps
Under the plan, Israel will establish “absorption clusters” – sites of 20 mobile homes each – allowing illegal settlers to move in and form new settlement nuclei.
The government will transfer $93.4 million to all new settlements, including $49.8 million in establishment grants and $43.6 million for organisational activity.
Existing settlements will receive $135 million for infrastructure upgrades, and a further $93.4 million will go to regional and local settler councils.
One of the plan’s most significant measures is allocating $70 million to create a land-registration unit.