Israeli Defense Minister: Establishing 22 New Settlements to Prevent a Palestinian State

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a plan to establish 22 new settlements in the West Bank, describing the move as "strategic" and aimed at reinforcing Israel's control over the territory and preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state.

In statements reported by Israel's Channel 14, Gallant said:

"The establishment of 22 new settlements strengthens our grip on the West Bank. It is a strategic step that prevents the creation of a Palestinian state."
He added that settlement expansion in the West Bank serves as "a defensive shield for Israel’s major population centers."

Meanwhile, Israeli Settlements Minister Orit Strock commented:

"We made a promise — and we are keeping it. We will establish 22 new settlements in the West Bank to close decades-long gaps in settlement activity.
Through action, we express our right to this land and our duty toward it, continuing to correct the mistake of the disengagement."

These remarks come amid ongoing Israeli escalation and a continued policy of imposing facts on the ground through settlement expansion, despite widespread international condemnation and the classification of settlements as illegal under international law.