For the first time in a decade: Dramatic decrease in illegal Palestinian construction in Judea and Samaria

November 17, 2024   

The Regavim Movement's research department has completed the analysis of the latest aerial photographs for May 2024, in which new construction was measured from June 2023. According to the findings, new construction this year stands at only 2,868 new buildings, less than half the number of buildings built in the corresponding periods in each year from 2018 to 2023. The monthly average for 2024 stands at 260 new buildings each month, compared to 608 buildings per month in 2023 (a decrease of 57%) and 547 buildings per month in 2022 (a decrease of 52%). During the Bennett-Lapid government, all records for illegal construction were broken and soared to 642 buildings per month in mid-2022, a volume of 234% more than the findings of the current year, in which, as mentioned, the pace of construction slowed down. In 2023, the first year of the current government's term, which has made the struggle to preserve the land its banner, the upward trend actually continued with an average of 608 buildings per month. In contrast, the new measurement that was conducted indicates, as stated, a change in the trend. A possible explanation for this change is the effects of the war, although dozens of applications that Regavim sent this year to the Civil Administration regarding illegal construction were met with a disclaimer and the claim that due to the war there is a shortage of manpower and therefore enforcement is delayed. At the same time, it appears that significant enforcement actions carried out this year against massive buildings, such as the demolition of a two-story villa next to the Jerusalem Tekoa Road, the demolition of three villas in northern Samaria, and the demolition of a high-rise building opposite Efrat, created a deterrent effect and influenced the change in the trend. This year's data indicates a slowdown in the pace of takeovers, but in the overall picture the graph continues to rise, with the total number of illegal structures built by the Palestinian Authority in Area C in Judea and Samaria, which are under full Israeli civil and security control, currently standing at 97,581 structures. An examination of aerial photographs shows a clear trend of shifting the weight from Areas A and B toward the open areas, with almost no new construction within the village area. Another trend is the creation of a built continuum between villages and adherence to main traffic routes in a way that endangers them and isolates Israeli settlement. Another noticeable trend, which was also proven in a study published by the Regavim movement at the beginning of the year, is construction adjacent to the seam line area. For comparison, the number of illegal structures built by Israelis in outposts and farms in the past year stands at 328 structures. This construction is also a dramatic decrease of almost 50% compared to the previous measurement. The total number of illegal Israeli construction in Area C stands at only 5,654 structures. The Civil Administration does not publish the status of enforcement of illegal construction in Judea and Samaria, despite repeated requests over the years and even a petition by the Regavim movement for freedom of information on the matter. However, various publications indicate that towards the end of 2023, enforcement against illegal Arab construction was increased and a number of significant, high-rise buildings in strategic locations were demolished, in contrast to demolitions in previous years that focused on sheds, fences, and light construction. "These figures reinforce the gut feelings of those who are out and about in the field and bring a breath of fresh air to the campaign on the ground," says Meir Deutsch, CEO of the Regavim movement. "Just as the State of Israel was established in practice long before '48 and was only declared on that festive occasion on the 1st of Iyar, so the State of Israel was never declared or given legal validity, but in fact is being established on the ground, day after day. Over the years, the policy of Israeli governments has been one of complete disregard, which the PA has taken advantage of and created a reality through massive construction, agricultural work, and road construction. "The new figures prove that the Israeli government is finally loyal to the will of the majority of the people and is dealing with the threat in an orderly manner. We expect to see this trend continue, and even more so.""