Israel’s West Bank push imperils long-term peace

As global focus has remained centered on Gaza, Israeli settlers have been escalating their aggression against Palestinians in the West Bank – a territory under Israeli occupation since 1967. A United Nations briefing delivered to the Security Council on August 11 warned that "the West Bank is at the breaking point," with 76 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces or settlers in 2026 alone.

Meanwhile, UN data showed approximately 3,800 Palestinians, nearly half of them children, displaced due to settler violence, demolitions, and evictions in the same period. The expansion of settlements is widely viewed as a state project, exemplified by Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu government's plans to issue tenders for constructing 1,200 settlement homes.

In response, a joint statement by the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Canada called the tenders "unacceptable" and urged Israel to "retract the plans immediately." While eight Muslim-majority nations and the US have voiced criticism, the latter has avoided outright condemnation. Netanyahu's return to power in 2022, backed by far-right parties, has accelerated settlement growth in the West Bank.

Nonetheless, Israel's security concerns cannot be dismissed, especially after the October 7 terror attack by Hamas. However, the E1 project would further displace Palestinians and undermine the chances of a contiguous and viable Palestinian state. This aligns with Netanyahu's public stance – less than a year ago, he declared during a visit to a West Bank settlement, "There will never be a Palestinian state.

This place is ours." With elections approaching and the tender deadline just a week before polling day in late October, the timing of E1 may not be coincidental. The developments in the West Bank represent a systematic effort to change its demographic and geographical makeup. Announcements like last year's recognition of the State of Palestine by various Western countries lose impact without pressure on Israel.

The US, wielding the greatest leverage, continues to shield Israel, highlighting the challenges of course correction or change.