In brief
The Israeli government lifted its decade‑long ban on the former settlement of Kadim, allowing 30 ‘pioneer’ families to move in under military escort. Far‑right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the reopening as a symbolic correction of past expulsions. The move has rattled Palestinian communities, who fear renewed displacement and infrastructure loss, while the United Nations and several Western governments have already condemned the expansion as illegal. The decision comes as Israel accelerates new settlements across the West Bank ahead of its October elections, heightening regional tensions.
Israel has relaunches the closed settlement of Kadim, a small community on a hill outside the Palestinian city of Jenin. Thirty pioneer families arrived on Thursday from Tel Aviv, some escorted by Israeli forces, carrying blankets, furniture and building equipment.
The move comes after a far‑right government lifted a 20‑year ban on Jewish settlements in the northern West Bank, a decision that critics say contravenes international law. Smotrich called the reopening a “correction of the past” and vowed settlers would someday return to Gaza as well.
Palestinian residents in the area have expressed fear and anger. A local vegetable farmer told reporters that the settlers once lived next door peacefully, but now see them arriving again with a sense of impending violence and demolition. He recalled being told “you have no place here” when he approached the new settlement.
The decision aligns with a broader push by the Israeli government to expand settlements ahead of the October elections: more than 100 new settlements across the West Bank received approval since 2022, with 19 in the northern region alone.
International bodies have condemned the reopening as illegal. Nations and the UN have repeatedly highlighted that all Israeli settlements and outposts in the occupied territories violate international law. The latest move has intensified protests worldwide, with calls for strict enforcement of settlement bans.
