In a monumental and long-anticipated development, the Israeli government has unveiled plans to reshape the geopolitical landscape of the region: 22 new Jewish communities will be established across Judea and Samaria, marking the most sweeping move toward sovereignty since the region was liberated in 1967.

Announced jointly by Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, the plan—approved discreetly by Israel’s Security Cabinet and revealed to the public on Thursday—includes the reestablishment of the historic communities of Homesh and Sa-Nur, which were tragically uprooted in the 2005 Disengagement Plan, along with the founding of four brand-new settlements near the Jordan Valley—a strategic strip that acts as Israel’s eastern security belt.

“This is a historic and once-in-a-generation decision that corrects the mistakes of the past and solidifies our future,” declared Defense Minister Katz. “It strengthens our hold on the ancestral Land of Israel and offers a powerful, unequivocal response to terrorism and diplomatic pressure.”

Toward Sovereignty: The End of the Oslo Illusion?

This announcement is more than just another development plan. It is a clear signal that Israel is laying the groundwork for the long-awaited application of sovereignty over Judea and Samaria—lands won in a defensive war in 1967 and abandoned by Jordan in 1988. Despite decades of legal, historical, and biblical entitlement, Israel has faced mounting international resistance to exercising its rightful claim. That resistance may have finally met its match.

Locations of the 22 new settlements in Judea and Samaria that were given the green lights. #onejewishstate #westbank #israel pic.twitter.com/4Nu5be9wLj

— One Jewish State (@onejewishstate) May 29, 2025

Finance Minister Smotrich was unequivocal:

“This is a great day for Zionism, for settlement, and for the State of Israel. We are turning the tide of history. With strong leadership, we are not only building communities—we are restoring national vision. The next step: sovereignty.”

Strategic Shield and National Imperative

The newly approved settlements are not merely ideological; they serve as vital defensive outposts, forming a protective buffer for Israel’s population centers and deterring the creation of a hostile Palestinian state in Israel’s heartland.

Officials emphasized that Judea and Samaria remain Israel’s strategic backbone, essential to its national security doctrine and irreplaceable as a Jewish homeland. The expansion also rebukes international demands for a Palestinian state, reinforcing instead the permanence of Israeli presence.

🚨 Breaking 🚨 22 New Settlements Announced on 58th Anniversary of Judea and Samaria’s Liberation.

In a historic decision for the settlement movement, Defense Minister Israel Katz and Minister in the Finance Ministry Bezalel Smotrich have announced a sweeping initiative:

✅ 22…

— AP (@AP_from_NY) May 29, 2025

Striking Down PA Encroachment in Area C

In tandem with the settlement expansion, the Cabinet approved an aggressive countermeasure to halt the Palestinian Authority’s creeping illegal annexation through unauthorized land registration in Area C—territory under full Israeli control under the Oslo Accords.

The Israeli government will resume its own formal land registration process in Area C while nullifying all PA records and efforts, declaring them devoid of legal status.
Security forces have received directives to:

• Block all PA land registration efforts

• Prevent foreign-funded NGO interference

• Enforce Israeli jurisdiction over disputed parcels

  Incredible.
  
  Absolutely extraordinary message from @tedcruz
  
  Judea and Samaria belongs to the Jews in the Bible AND belongs to Israel under International Law.
  
  The title “Judea and Samaria” is officially back.
  
  The US House Committee of Foreign Affairs, chaired by Brian Mast… pic.twitter.com/JraWIGJAQo

  — Kosher🎗 (@koshercockney) February 27, 2025

   

   

“There is no legitimacy to Palestinian land grabs,” a senior official stated. “This is a sovereign state defending its land from bureaucratic warfare disguised as diplomacy.”

Annexation by Action

While critics will decry the decision as provocative, supporters hail it as long-overdue national justice. In practice, this move represents de facto annexation, and it is no longer a matter of if, but when the government will take the final legal steps toward full sovereignty.