The Israeli Supreme Court has rejected a petition for the removal of a previously evacuated settlement in the occupied West Bank, which the Knesset approved for reconstruction this year. The court stated yesterday, Wednesday, that the recent relocation of the settlement site, which mainly consists of a Jewish religious school, is sufficient to allow Palestinians access to their lands. The settlement has recently been moved to what Israel describes as public land. It now appears on the map as a settlement island surrounded by private Palestinian lands.
Two former heads of the Israeli military's Central Command, which oversees operations in the West Bank, testified in court opposing the resettlement of Homesh, warning that it could expose Israel to security challenges and violate Palestinian rights to property and freedom of movement. However, the Supreme Court dismissed the petition, noting changes made in 2005 law. Justice Yael Vilner pointed out that "there has been a fundamental change in the factual circumstances upon which the petition is based."
The Israeli anti-settlement organization Peace Now reported that Israel has advanced the construction of 12,855 settlement units throughout the West Bank since January, marking the highest number recorded by the organization since it began monitoring such activities in 2012. Settlement leader Yossi Dagan stated that the decision on Wednesday represents "an unparalleled moral step toward correcting history."
Palestinians argue that the settlement, along with the military forces securing it, prevents them from freely accessing their lands, despite the alteration of its location. They have reported an increase in settler violence in recent months, endangering their lives and properties. Palestinian residents and lawyers from the Israeli human rights organization Yesh Din noted that this step has emboldened the settlers of Homesh, who returned to the area in 2009 without permission. Meanwhile, the United States has repeatedly expressed its objection to Israeli settlement expansion.
