West Bank settlement expansion reaches Areas A and B

A weekly report by the National Office for Land Defense and Settlement Resistance indicates an escalation in Israeli settlement activities and land seizures in the West Bank. The report, covering the period from August 29 to September 4, 2026, highlights that these actions are expanding beyond Area C into Areas A and B, threatening Palestinian territorial continuity.

According to data from Peace Now and Keren Navot, settlers have forcibly seized over 100,000 dunams in Areas A and B. This includes approximately 55,000 dunams in Area B, 28,200 dunams within an agreed-upon nature reserve in Area B, and 15,600 dunams in Area A. The report notes the establishment of 26 settlement outposts and pastoral farms in Area B, many of which were erected in recent months.

In addition to physical outposts, the report cites increased use of military orders and the expansion of Israeli Civil Administration powers in Areas A and B regarding water, environment, and antiquities. These measures, alongside the construction of new roads and restrictions on citizen movement, have enabled small numbers of settlers to control vast areas of land.