In brief
In August, Israeli settlers returned to the previously closed settlement of Kadim in the West Bank, marking a decisive policy shift after a two‑decade ban. Thirty pioneer families, some escorted by soldiers, arrived with trailers and whittling through Palestinian villages to re‑establish the settlement. The move, endorsed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and other high‑ranking officials, has alarmed residents of Jenin and the wider Palestinian community, who fear renewed displacement and conflict. Despite international criticism, the Israeli government stands firm, citing strategic and nationalist motives amid looming elections.
Israeli Forces Reopen Kadim Settlement
A coalition of thirty pioneer families travelled from Tel Aviv to the hilltop of Kadim in the West Bank, arriving on Thursday with trailers of furniture and building material. The movement, officially backed by the Finance Minister and Parliament speaker, marks the first time a settlement evacuated in 2005 has been re‑opened by Israel.
The new settlement sits just outside the Palestinian city of Jenin. Over the past year, workers have erected white trailer homes, preparing them for an influx of families. Military patrols escort citizens as their vehicles cross farmland, with Israeli flags proudly flying in stark contrast to the surrounding Palestinian landscape.
Local residents, however, are alarmed. A farmer who has lived in a nearby house for over half a century recalls watching Kadim rise and later be dismantled in 2005. He warns that the new settlers threaten to reclaim acres once belonging to Palestinians, citing past incidents of displacement and road closures.
The decision comes ahead of Israel’s national elections in October. Analysts note that the government has overseen more than a hundred new settlements in the West Bank since late 2022, signalling a broader strategy to extend territorial claims.
International reactions have been swift; the United Nations and several sovereign states have called the move a violation of international law. Back in Jenin, the Palestinian authority’s governor expresses fears that the new settlement may become a hub for future expansion into the city itself.
