Israeli ministers announce plans for new illegal settlements in Gaza and West Bank

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: The Guardian

Israel’s defence and finance ministers announced plans for three illegal settlements in Gaza and more than $400m (£300m) in funding to expand construction in the occupied West Bank, as Israel’s military commander for the region celebrated violent outposts as his “security partners”.

With national elections scheduled for 27 October, Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right coalition is racing to expand control of land in occupied Palestine and drive out Palestinians before its mandate expires.

The defence minister, Israel Katz, said he intended to set up three “Nahal” outposts in northern Gaza, a type of military community that for decades has paved the way for Israeli civilian settlements.

The finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, announced 1.3bn shekels (£318m) in funding for dozens of new Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The cabinet allocated the money last month but kept the decision secret because of expected US opposition, Israeli media reported.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/18/israel-plan-new-illegal-settlements-gaza-west-bank-occupied-palestine

[pwb]

1. Keep it up and Iran

will be settling in Israel soon. IMO.

[J_William_Ryan]

2. "three illegal settlements in Gaza"

And who is going to stop Israel.

Not a feckless UN.

Not the lawless Trump regime that is just as corrupt and criminal.

Trump, Netanyahu, Putin – criminals committing crimes with absolute impunity.

[twodogsbarking]

3. But we must think about what is most important, what John Fetterman says.

[Intractable]

4. Israel has a right to exist!!!

But only within its currently defined borders.

The expansion of those borders is imperialism by means of terrorism.

[jg10003]

11. Every expansion of Israel has been the outcome

of a war that Israel did not start. In 1948, 1967, and 1973 Arab countries attacked Israel and lost. In 2005 Israel unilaterally withdrew for Gaza and remained out until Gaza's Hamas government attacked Israel.

[Intractable]

12. I support the idea of no more expansion, and an end to genocide.

Further, I am one who believes we do not need to send Israel money or weapons.

[Bayard]

5. Might doesn't make right

They have decimated Gaza to the point it can't defend itself against the criminal theft of their land. Where are the pro bono lawyers who can sue to stop this? Is that the only way? There's certainly no way they would ever win in an Israeli court. What is the international body that can put some teeth into it? The next admin should cut off all funding and sanction the hell out of them.

I've said it before. This SO reminds me of our government in the last century continually pushing settlers to just take Indigenous lands, and kill any Natives that objected. Assisted by the U.S. Army.

[AloeVera]

6. If it talks, walks and looks like a duck...

But Israel is NOT a "settler-colonial project"??

The pro-Palestinian human rights movement pegged Israel as a settler-colonial project long time ago.
For speaking truth, they were ridiculed and demonized mercilessly and quite successfully.

There is no I-told-you-so here, just a lot of frustration - and anger.

[Martin68]

7. Lebensraum in full swing. The goal of the genocide that is being committed in Gaza. Maybe southern

Lebanon is next.

[Scalded Nun]

8. And just guess where those funds for these settlements is coming from?

[Exp]

9. Fuck those guys! eom

[Grins]

10. Israel has merrily become what it most hated. NM