New Israeli Settlement Threatens UNESCO World Heritage Site in West Bank

New Israeli Settlement Threatens UNESCO World Heritage Site

A controversial new Israeli settlement is set to be constructed in the occupied West Bank, raising concerns that it will encroach on Palestinian land designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This situation has been brought to light by Israeli peace activists who are alarmed by the implications of the settlement’s expansion.

The international community largely views Israeli settlements in the West Bank as illegal, and many of these settlements have been established unlawfully under Israeli law, although they are often tolerated by the government. Recently, Bezalel Smotrich, the far-right finance minister and a settler himself, granted preliminary approval for the new settlement named Nahal Heletz in June. Following this, the country’s planning authorities officially endorsed the project on Wednesday.

However, the area earmarked for this new settlement is significantly larger than what was initially proposed. According to the Israeli advocacy group Peace Now, which monitors settlement activities, the latest plans indicate that the settlement will claim over 150 acres, compared to the 30 acres that were previously disclosed in a government announcement in July. Alarmingly, all of this land falls within territories recognized by UNESCO.

Mr. Smotrich, who is a key member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition, has been advocating for policies aimed at expanding Israeli settlements in the West Bank. His actions are reportedly linked to negotiations involving the release of funds that have been withheld from the Palestinian Authority, which has partial administrative control over the territory.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Peace Now accused Mr. Smotrich of blatantly ignoring the UNESCO Convention. Although Israel is a signatory to the World Heritage Convention, it withdrew from UNESCO in 2019. The withdrawal was a response to what Israel perceived as the organization’s efforts to diminish Jewish historical ties to the land of Israel. Additionally, Israel has opposed UNESCO’s acceptance of Palestine as a member state since 2011.