Israel Approves New Illegal Settlement in Occupied East Jerusalem
The approval marks a significant escalation in Israel’s settlement policy in occupied Palestinian territory. Photo: AA.
July 13, 2026 Hour: 6:17 pm
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The Human Rights organization Ir Amim denounced that Israel’s authorities approved a new plan to build a large settlement in the Palestinian neighborhood of Umm Lison in occupied East Jerusalem with 450 housing units.
Umm Lison is located between the Palestinian neighborhoods of Jabal al-Mukabber and Sur Baher in occupied East Jerusalem and currently houses approximately 800 homes belonging to Palestinian families.
The construction of 450 new settler units within this already consolidated Palestinian community represents what Ir Amim described as an “unprecedented” project in terms of its magnitude within the Palestinian neighborhoods of occupied East Jerusalem.
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In a statement, the organization reported that the Jerusalem District Planning and Construction Committee gave the green light to the project, which had been suspended for more than two years due to infrastructure-related difficulties.
According to Ir Amim, the execution of the settlement will involve the incorporation of hundreds of new homes within an already established Palestinian community, which will considerably alter the urban characteristics and demographic balance of the sector while increasing attacks by Israeli settlers against the local population.
The organization warned that the project could house approximately 2,000 Israeli settlers, further entrenching the occupation presence in the heart of East Jerusalem.
Ir Amim also argued that the decision adopted by the Jerusalem municipality responds to a political strategy aimed at expanding Israeli settlements rather than urban planning criteria, and accused municipal authorities of privileging settler interests to the detriment of the rights of the Palestinian population living in the city.
UN Rejects Israeli’s Expansion
On multiple occasions, the United Nations has denounced that Israeli settlements built in the occupied Palestinian territories lack validity under international law and that their expansion hinders the possibilities of reaching a solution based on the coexistence of two states. The Fourth Geneva Convention, to which Israel is a signatory, explicitly prohibits an occupying power from transferring parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.
Meanwhile, Palestinians maintain their claim that East Jerusalem should be the capital of a future Palestinian State, in line with international resolutions that do not recognize the Israeli occupation that began in 1967 nor the annexation of the city proclaimed by Israel in 1980. The international community, including the United Nations Security Council, has consistently rejected Israel’s unilateral annexation of East Jerusalem.
In another decision related to settlement policy, the Israeli Central Command officially recognized on July 12 the illegal settlement of Givat Ze’ev as a city, located northwest of occupied East Jerusalem. According to Israeli media, the decision was adopted after a coordination process between the Ministries of Defense and Interior and forms part of policies promoted by Israel to expand settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that the declaration of Givat Ze’ev as a city is part of government policy aimed at strengthening settlements and consolidating their legal recognition. Smotrich also argued that this decision will contribute to building an alleged “protective wall” against the creation of a Palestinian state, a position that deepens tensions and affects the stability and security of Palestinian communities.
The settlement expansion comes as violence in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem has increased significantly, with settler attacks against Palestinian farmers, destruction of olive groves and home demolitions rising sharply in recent months. Human rights organizations have documented hundreds of incidents of settler violence, often carried out with impunity under the protection of Israeli military forces.
The Umm Lison approval and the elevation of Givat Ze’ev to city status represent a coordinated push by the most right-wing government in Israel’s history to cement Israeli control over occupied Palestinian territory, making the prospect of a viable, contiguous Palestinian state increasingly difficult. The international community, including the European Union and the Arab League, has condemned the moves but has so far failed to impose meaningful consequences on Israel for its continued violation of international law.
