Israeli settlers return to Kadim in West Bank two decades after it was evacuated

In 2005, Israeli settlers were evacuated from the Kadim settlement in the West Bank as part of a broader disengagement plan. The settlement, located near the Palestinian city of Jenin, was considered too isolated and costly to maintain. Recently, the far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, along with other government officials, led a new wave of settlers returning to Kadim.

The settlers, numbering around thirty families from Tel Aviv, arrived in small groups, some escorted by military personnel, and carried supplies in trailers. At the opening ceremony, Smotrich emphasized the return as a fulfillment of a long-desired goal, while also hinting at plans to expand settlements to Gaza in the future. The return of settlers to Kadim has caused concern among locals, who fear increased tension and potential attacks on their property.

The current Israeli government has approved over 100 new settlements in the West Bank, including nineteen in the northern region, in a bid to expand their presence before the upcoming elections.