Israel's security cabinet approved the establishment of 34 new Jewish settlements across the West Bank during a classified meeting on April 1, marking the largest number endorsed at once by any government. The decision, cleared for publication by military censors on Thursday, includes 24 brand-new settlements and the retroactive legalization of 10 existing outposts, all located in Area C under full Israeli administrative control.

Israeli media outlets reported the approval on Friday, noting it brings the total number of settlements authorized by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government since 2022 to 102 or 103, an 80% increase from the 127 official settlements that existed prior. For comparison, only six new settlements received formal approval in the three decades following the 1993 Oslo Accords.

The sites are distributed throughout the West Bank, including isolated northern areas amid Palestinian population centers near Jenin and others such as Rehavam, Eyal, Homesh, and Sa-Nur. Energy Minister Eli Cohen called it a historic step toward applying sovereignty, announcing a working group with utilities to connect the sites to water and electricity infrastructure even before full planning approvals. Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan linked the move to his 2022 plan to attract one million Israelis to the region by 2050, up from the current 49,000 residents.

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir voiced concerns at the meeting that the expansion would strain military resources needed for protection. Anti-settlement group Peace Now condemned the decision as a pre-election frenzy to create irreversible facts on the ground, arguing it burdens the IDF, harms security, and obstructs peace. Yesh Din alleged the approvals advance a plan to confine Palestinians to enclaves in Area A.

The Palestinian Presidency labeled the move a flagrant violation of international law, which deems settlements illegal. Jordan and Turkey issued condemnations on Friday, with the latter calling it a serious breach of UN resolutions. The decision comes amid heightened settler-Palestinian tensions, with UN reports citing over 700 displacements since early 2025 and at least six Palestinian deaths from settler attacks this year.

Netanyahu's office did not comment, and the Yesha settler council was silent. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has previously stated that such construction aims to prevent Palestinian statehood in the territory.