The Israeli government’s decision to legalize new settlement outposts in the West Bank is not an isolated administrative move. Instead, it represents an accelerated effort to reshape Palestinian geography, potentially precluding any future two-state solution. This is not merely a negotiating tactic, but a comprehensive strategy intended to undermine the very idea of a viable Palestinian state.
Evidence suggests that settlement expansion has evolved from a bargaining chip into a deliberate policy of fragmenting Palestinian territories. The goal is to create a network of settlements that effectively prevents the establishment of a sovereign and geographically contiguous Palestinian state. This approach appears to be prioritizing a decisive resolution on the ground, before demographic realities can influence any potential future agreements.
Political Science Professor Ghassan al-Khatib from Birzeit University argues that the recent surge in settlement activity is not random. He believes it is a deliberate attempt to eliminate the possibility of a Palestinian state. According to al-Khatib, the only consensus within the Israeli government is a clear opposition to this two-state solution.
However, this strategy presents a significant paradox for Israel. Undermining the two-state solution does not lead to stability, but rather opens the door to a one-state reality with an apartheid system. In such a scenario, a Jewish minority would govern a Palestinian majority, a situation difficult to justify internationally in the long term.
Dr. Liqa Makki, a senior researcher at the Al Jazeera Center for Studies, notes that Israel is operating under a long-standing principle: establishing facts on the ground first, and then seeking legal and political justifications afterward. The legalization of settlement outposts is simply the latest manifestation of this approach.
The danger of the current situation lies not only in the number of new settlements, but also in the unprecedented pace of their construction. The rate of settlement expansion over the past three years demonstrates a clear acceleration of this controversial policy. This rapid expansion raises serious questions about the prospects for a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. DZWatch will continue to monitor this developing situation.
