The short version
- Thirty families have moved into Kadim, the last of four settlements evacuated in 2005, reversing a previous government's unilateral disengagement plan.
- Local Palestinian residents report increased harassment and fear as new construction accelerates near their homes in northern Samaria.
- Critics view the rapid expansion as a political maneuver to cement territorial gains before October elections, while officials frame it as correcting historical injustices.
A new wave of Israeli settlers has returned to Kadim, a settlement in the occupied West Bank that was emptied by force two decades ago. Thirty families arrived on Thursday from Tel Aviv, bringing bedding, furniture, and construction materials to the hillside community outside Jenin. This move completes the reoccupation of all four settlements dismantled under the 2005 Disengagement Plan, which previously saw Jewish residents and soldiers withdrawn from Gaza and three isolated communities in northern Samaria due to security costs and low strategic value.
The reopening was marked by a ceremony attended by senior government figures, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Justice Minister Yariv Levin. Smotrich described the return as a correction of the 'crime of expulsion' committed twenty-one years prior, framing the event through a lens of national redemption. Alongside him were Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana and Yossi Dagan, head of the regional settlers’ council, who used the platform to vow that settlers would eventually return to Gaza as well. The attendees waved Israeli flags as they passed Palestinian villages, signaling a decisive shift in policy under the current administration.
Kadim is the final piece of this specific reversal. The other three settlements from the 2005 evacuation—Ganim, Sanur, and Homesh—have already been formally reopened and repopulated. However, these moves represent only a fraction of the broader settlement activity in the region. Since taking office in late 2022, the Israeli government has approved more than one hundred new settlements across the West Bank, including nineteen in the northern sector alone. This surge in construction has drawn criticism from human rights groups and international observers who view it as an escalation of territorial consolidation.
For Palestinians living adjacent to these sites, the return of settlers has brought immediate and tangible distress. In Jenin, a vegetable farmer who has lived in his home for fifty-three years described a shift from peaceful coexistence during the initial occupation period to a current atmosphere of fear. He recounted how settlers have driven away his nephews from their citrus trees and vegetables, telling them they have no place there. The farmer, whose family fled Haifa during the 1948 war, expressed a deep sense of resignation, noting that he feels there is 'no more displacement left in me' but that life is now defined by anxiety over expanding bypass roads and demolished businesses.
Similar reports of harassment have emerged from near Emek Dotan, another newly opened settlement west of Jenin. Samer Jaber, a partially blind schoolteacher with a leg injury, described being filmed by groups standing opposite his house. He reported that settlers shine powerful floodlights through his windows in the early hours of the morning and attempt to enter homes. Jaber stated that fear dominates daily life, noting that he is bringing concrete blocks to seal off parts of his home to protect his children. He emphasized that while the settlers are armed, local residents feel completely defenseless against these intimidation tactics.
Analysts suggest that the timing of these expansions is politically motivated. Hagit Ofran, director of the Settlement Watch program at Peace Now, characterized the rapid construction in Jenin as part of a race to expand settlements before Israeli elections scheduled for October. By formalizing these communities and moving families in quickly, the government may be attempting to create facts on the ground that are difficult to reverse in future political cycles. This strategy aligns with the broader nationalist agenda driving the current coalition, which has prioritized settlement growth as a core policy objective.
The logistical reality of the return involves small groups arriving under military escort, dragging trailers loaded with supplies. The visual contrast between the new white trailer homes appearing on the hilltops and the established Palestinian hamlets below underscores the changing demographic landscape. Media access to the opening ceremony in Kadim was restricted, with officials refusing entry to journalists, limiting independent verification of the event's scale and tone beyond official statements. This lack of transparency has fueled concerns among observers about the accountability of these operations.
The broader implications extend beyond immediate local tensions. The reversal of the 2005 evacuations signals a fundamental break from previous Israeli governments' willingness to unilaterally withdraw from certain territories. It reinforces the current administration's commitment to expanding Jewish presence in the West Bank, regardless of international pressure or security assessments that previously deemed such sites unsustainable. As families settle into these reopened communities, the long-term stability of the region remains uncertain, with local residents bracing for further encroachment and potential conflict.
What comes next depends largely on the outcome of the upcoming elections and whether the current government maintains its momentum. If the expansion continues, it could further erode prospects for a two-state solution and deepen divisions within Israeli society. For now, the focus remains on the immediate impact on Palestinian communities in Jenin and surrounding areas, who face increased surveillance, harassment, and economic disruption. The return to Kadim is not just a symbolic gesture but a concrete step toward reshaping the geography of the West Bank.
International reactions have been muted so far, with few immediate diplomatic interventions reported. However, the precedent set by reopening evacuated settlements may draw scrutiny from global partners who previously supported the 2005 disengagement as a model for conflict resolution. The situation in Kadim serves as a microcosm of larger trends in the region, where political decisions are increasingly driven by ideological commitments rather than pragmatic security considerations. As the dust settles on this latest move, the human cost continues to mount for those living in the shadow of these expanding settlements.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- BBC News↗Israeli settlers return to Kadim in West Bank two decades after it was evacuated
