Thirty Israeli families arrived at the former settlement of Kadim in the northern West Bank on Thursday, marking the final reopening of four settlements evacuated by the Israeli government two decades ago. The return was attended by senior government officials, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, following the current government's decision to overturn a long-standing ban on Israeli settlement in the area.
The settlement of Kadim, located near the Palestinian city of Jenin, was originally dismantled in 2005 as part of Israel's Disengagement Plan, which also saw the evacuation of Gaza and three other northern West Bank sites. At the time, the government considered these locations isolated and difficult to secure. However, the current Israeli administration, which took office in late 2022, has shifted policy, approving more than 100 new settlements across the West Bank, including 19 in the northern region.
During the opening ceremony, Finance Minister Smotrich described the return as a "correction" of the 2005 evacuations. While settlers arrived with furniture and building materials under military escort, local Palestinian residents expressed concern over the developments. One farmer near Kadim stated that while coexistence existed in the past, he now fears displacement. Another resident near the newly opened Emek Dotan settlement reported that settlers have been filming his family and using floodlights at night, leading him to install concrete blocks for security.
For Palestinian residents, the impact involves concrete changes to their daily movement and property. Local officials and residents report that the Israeli military has demolished dozens of shops and businesses along the road from Kadim to facilitate new infrastructure. The Palestinian Authority Governor for Jenin stated that the seizure of land and the construction of new military outposts—including one on land previously under full Palestinian Authority control—limits travel, leads to the bulldozing of farmland, and creates a "life of fear" for those living in the shadow of the new hilltops.
The expansion sets a precedent for the potential return of settlers to other evacuated territories, with settler council leaders publicly vowing a future return to Gaza. These actions are occurring during a period of high regional tension, with advocates like Hagit Ofran of Peace Now characterizing the rapid construction as a race to expand presence before the Israeli elections. The immediate next steps involve the continued fortification of the area, as the Israel Defense Forces proceed with building two new military bases and outposts to meet what they describe as operational needs ahead of the October elections.