The Israel-Palestine conflict: Escalation over land in the West Bank

The conflict between Israel and Palestine has reignited with the recent news that Israel has "expropriated" over 6,600 hectares of Palestinian territory in the West Bank to legalize the Evyatar settlement. This action has been denounced by the Israeli NGO Peace Now, which has documented a significant increase in the expansion of Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories during the current year. The Evyatar settlement, located south of the Palestinian city of Nablus, has been a subject of controversy since its establishment in 2013. Initially considered an illegal "outpost" by Israel, it has been demolished several times. However, Netanyahu's government approved its legalization at the end of June, along with four other settlements, defying international law that deems them illegal. According to Peace Now, the year 2024 has seen a record expansion of Israeli settlements, with the declaration of large swathes of land as "state lands," facilitating the creation of new settlements. This organization has warned that in this way, Israel is carrying out an illegal expropriation according to international law, adapting its laws to justify the occupation of Palestinian territory. Israeli authorities have also recently approved the construction of over 5,000 homes in settlements across the occupied West Bank and the legalization of three new settlements. Additionally, the declaration of 1,200 hectares of Palestinian land in the Jordan Valley as "state lands" has been announced, marking the largest land seizure since the nineties. The colonization of the West Bank has intensified with the presence of Bezalel Smotrich, an ultra-nationalist and anti-Arab settler, at the helm of the Settlements Administration within the Ministry of Defense. Under his leadership, expansion plans for settlements have been actively promoted, leading to growing tensions in the region. Since the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel has maintained an occupation in the West Bank, resulting in the ongoing construction of settlements, defying calls to halt this practice that hinders the creation of a future Palestinian state. With over half a million Israeli settlers in disputed territories and an increasingly tense situation, the region is at a critical point. The international community has repeatedly condemned the expansion of Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory, urging both parties to resume negotiations to achieve a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict. However, as land appropriation and settlement construction continue, the prospect of sustainable peace in the region seems more distant than ever.