A new PLO report shows that 44.5% of the West Bank is now under Israeli control, with settlements expanding at an alarming rate.
A report released by the Palestine Liberation Organization’s Negotiations Affairs Department revealed that 44.5% of the West Bank is now under Israeli control due to settlement expansion and land annexation, the Anadolu news agency reported on Wednesday.
The report, which includes a newly published map, highlights the rapid growth of illegal Israeli Jewish settlements, with five new settlements and 50 outposts established in 2024 alone.
It also states that the illegal settler population in the West Bank has tripled since 1995, reaching approximately 740,000 settlers.
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According to the report, much of this expansion has taken place behind the separation wall or in areas under direct Israeli control, making the two-state solution increasingly unviable.
It warns that if construction continues at the current rate, settlement areas could expand fivefold on confiscated Palestinian land.
The United Nations considers Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory illegal under international law and has repeatedly called for a halt to their expansion, warning that settlement activity undermines any prospects for a just resolution to the conflict.
Since the genocide in Gaza began in October 2023, Israel has accelerated its settlement expansion in the West Bank and intensified discussions about annexing the territory while rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state.
The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has pushed for US recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank.
US President Donald Trump stated on February 4 that his administration would “issue a decision soon” on the matter.
For decades, Israel has occupied Palestinian, Syrian, and Lebanese land, refusing to withdraw despite international pressure.
(PC, Anadolu)
