Illegal Arab construction
Illegal Arab constructionRegavim
The Regavim Movement is a public movement dedicated to the protection of Israel's national lands and resources throughout the country. Recently, its Research Division analyzed aerial surveys of Judea and Samaria, comparing May 2024 to June 2023 images. The findings are compelling: there is a significant decrease in new illegal structures, with a monthly average of 260 in the last survey period, down from 608 in 2023 and 547 in 2022, marking a drastic reduction compared to the previous five years.

New illegal construction in Judea and Samaria /Credit: Regavim
High-profile demolitions seem to have served as a deterrent, signaling to the Palestinian Authority that Israel views illegal construction as a direct security threat. This contrasts with previous years, when demolitions focused on warehouses, fences, and minor structures. This change in policy, long advocated by Regavim, has been increasingly supported by Israeli legislators since the October 7th attack, which was facilitated by similar dual-use illegal structures near the Gaza border.

Under the Bennett-Lapid government, with Benny Gantz as Defense Minister, illegal construction broke all previous records, reaching an average of 642 structures per month in mid-2022, which represents 234% more in comparison to the rate in this new study’s time-period. In 2023, the first year of the current government’s administration in which preservation of state land was prioritized, the upward trend established under the previous government continued, with an average of 608 structures per month. However, the latest measurements indicate a reversal of this trend in the first half of 2024.
UNOCHA map of demolitions indicates strategic placement of illegal structures targeted by the Civil Administration (Hanan Greenwood, Yisrael Hayom)

One explanation suggested for this decline is the impact of the ongoing war. However, dozens of complaints filed by Regavim with the civil administration regarding illegal construction this year have received responses citing “labor shortages due to the war” resulting in delays in enforcement. Nevertheless, in the first 10 months of 2024, the Civil Administration demolished 602 illegal Arab-built structures in Area C, compared to only 306 in all of 2023.

A more plausible explanation for the significant reduction in new illegal constructions can largely be attributed to the strategic selection of enforcement cases by the Civil Administration. This shift in strategy signifies a new approach compared to previous years, where the focus has now turned to demolishing large, permanent structures located along key highways and strategic locations, including the seam-line buffer zone (as highlighted in Hanan Greenwood's recent expose in the Hebrew edition of Israel Hayom). Notable among these demolitions were multi-story villas, such as one near the Tekoa-Jerusalem road in Eastern Gush Etzion, three villas in northern Samaria, and a large building opposite Efrat.
Illegal Arab home
Illegal Arab homeRegavim

Before and after: Destroying an illegal Arab home built on the Jerusalem-Tekoa highway: Regavim's petition (HCJ1900/24) results in enforcement

Although this year's figures show a decrease in the pace of land takeovers, the long-term trend continues to rise. The Palestinian Authority has now constructed 97,581 illegal structures in Area C of Judea and Samaria, an area fully governed by Israeli civil and security forces. Aerial imagery clearly shows that the Palestinian Authority has chosen to prioritize building, agricultural, and infrastructure projects in Area C instead of developing Areas A and B, aligning with the 2009 Fayyad Plan's aim to establish a Palestinian state across all of Judea and Samaria.

Regavim has noted that aerial images show minimal new construction in PA-controlled areas, with intensive building near major roads in Area C posing security threats by isolating Israeli settlements and linking PA villages to strategic highways. Construction in the seam-line buffer zone continues unabated, while illegal Israeli structures in Area C have decreased by 50% over the past year, totaling 5,654, with 85% of them within recognized Israeli community boundaries. "This is a refreshing shift in the battle for land", says Meir Deutsch, Regavim Director. "While the State of Palestine is being established de facto through construction and infrastructure, the Israeli government is finally responding to voter mandates by addressing these developments. We hope to see this trend continue and even intensify.”
The battle for Judea and Samaria is finally being fought.