Meir Deutsch, Director General for The Regavim Movement

Published in Israel Hayom, December 18th, 2024

For the first time in a decade, there’s been an unprecedented decline in illegal Palestinian construction in Area C, coupled with a significant increase in enforcement actions by the Civil Administration. This isn’t just a statistic; it’s a beacon of hope and a testament to the impact that determined policy decisions can have on the reality on the ground.

Regavim’s recent analysis of aerial surveys from May 2023 to June 2024 reveals a striking decline in illegal construction starts: In previous years, average illegal Arab construction in Area C climbed as high as 642 new structures per month under the Bennett-Lapid government in 2022, while the most recent study reveals a monthly average of 260 new illegal structures.This year’s figures suggest a reversal of the relentless upward trend of illegal construction, with the current government prioritizing the preservation of state land.

The factors contributing to this decline deserve closer consideration. While one might attribute the shift to the ongoing war, the Civil Administration has repeatedly noted severe staffing shortages as a result of reserve duty. A more compelling explanation lies in the strategic nature of enforcement actions that have been taken over the past year. In 2024 alone, 602 structures were demolished, a sharp increase over the 306 demolitions in all of 2023. Recent enforcement activity has focused on large, permanent structures in strategic locations that pose security threats , as opposed to demolitions in previous years that were sporadic and haphazard actions against insignificant, temporary structures. 

This shift, more than anything else, has sent a clear deterrent message to the Palestinian Authority: Israel is no longer turning a blind eye to the systematic takeover of Area C. This area, under full Israeli civil and security jurisdiction, has been the quiet battleground, where the Palestinian Authority has been establishing facts on the ground, as per the 2009 Fayyad Plan, the blueprint for de facto establishment of a Palestinian state. The periodic aerial surveys conducted and analyzed by The Regavim Movement have consistently shown that since 2009 the PA has taken a stark, unmistakable turn away from construction and development in Areas A and B and focused instead on aggressive expansion in Area C. The systematic construction and development observed in these aerial studies reveal a strategic and systematic program that is encircling and isolating Israeli communities while creating territorial contiguity between PA-controlled areas. 

Just as the State of Israel was essentially established long before 1948 by the pioneers who built homes and farms and developed communities, the State of Palestine is being established daily –  on Israeli state land. The current data suggests that, at last, the Israeli government is responding to the mandate of its voters by actively countering this existential threat.

Despite the encouraging findings of the recent survey, the battle for Area C is far from over. With a total of 97,581 illegal structures now standing in Area C, the challenge remains monumental. However, recent enforcement actions signify that the tide may be turning. This isn’t just about maintaining territorial integrity; it’s about ensuring security, both for the Israeli communities in Area C and for the entire State of Israel. The October 7th attack, which was facilitated by similar dual-purpose construction along Israel’s relatively small border with Gaza, was a wakeup call for Israelis living on both sides of the “green line”. It is heartening to see that Israeli legislators have begun to take action and to fulfill the mandate they have been given by the public.

This may be a crucial moment, a crossroads that may be a critical turning point. The impressive shift observed on the ground must be a call to action, for the Israeli public, for its elected representatives and for the international community. It is also a reminder of the power of policy reform, the importance of vigilance, and the positive impact that a firm and resolute  stand on matters of national sovereignty and security can have on our shared reality.

July 18, 2024 – The Knesset – Jerusalem, Israel

The People Have Spoken: NO to a Palestinian state in the heart of the Land of Israel!

Regavim welcomes the historic Knesset resolution against the establishment of a Palestinian state in the heart of Israel:

“With an overwhelming majority of votes and cross-party consensus, an important declarative decision was passed against the establishment of a Palestinian state in the heart of Israel.

We congratulate all the members of the Knesset who supported this Zionist decision. We thank the initiator of the discussion MK Zeev Elkin and the chairmen of the Land of Israel caucus MK Yuli Edelstein MK Limor Sonn Har Melech and MK Simcha Rothman for leading the move.

This decision sends a clear and unequivocal message to all our enemies and gives special encouragement to our heroic fighters who are fighting until we destroy Hamas and all the hostages are returned.

Yesterday’s decision was a significant step forward, but the fight is not over yet. We call on the government and the Knesset to continue to act decisively and resolutely to ensure the security and future of the State of Israel.

In the face of dangerous construction plans in the territory of our sheep pastures, and the praise of martyrs and supporters of the October Seventh — the Israeli government must stand firm and take full responsibility for the territories of the homeland; in Judea and Samaria, in the area of the seam line, in the Negev and the Galilee and the entire State of Israel.

The voice of the people that was heard last night in the legislature gives its support to its elected officials to act in this way to ensure that all of Israel will forever remain the safe home of the Jewish people.”

A senior Canadian military officer seen visiting an illegal Palestinian structure

In recent weeks, we’ve noticed a delegation of senior Canadian military personnel that has been patrolling in uniform in Area C, including at an illegal structure in the South Hebron Hills region.

The delegation was also hosted by the IDF’s Central Command General Yehuda Fuchs, meaning that its presence in the area is known to and sanctioned by IDF officials.

The illegal structure that the Canadians visited was erected overnight on land designated for agriculture and belongs to the nearby Israeli community of Maon. Residents of Maon appealed to the IDF and the Civil Administration to stop the work and demolish the building. Apparently, the Civil Administration has pledged to enforce the law but has done nothing so far.

Shortly after the referral to the Civil Administration, the visit of the Canadian delegation, which included two uniformed military personnel, was documented.

The delegation was also documented during a visit to the village of Zurif near the community of Carmi Tzur in Gush Etzion, and this week they were seen again in a meeting with Arabs near the village of Kisan in eastern Gush Etzion, also in Area C.

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It’s an utterly insane and blatantly rude move against the State of Israel for senior military figures from a foreign country to encourage construction criminals who are acting under the auspices of the Palestinian Authority.

As long as the State of Israel sees itself as a guest in Judea and Samaria and does not conduct itself as the sovereign, the rest of the world will also see the State of Israel as a guest and not as the legitimate sovereign.

Don’t sell us out!
Israel’s security and sovereignty aren’t bargaining chips!

President Biden: Don’t exploit Israel’s unstable political landscape to extract historic concessions from an interim government that may be tempted to pay an enormously high price to shore up their election prospects.

Prime Minister Lapid: Don’t sell out our national interests for photo-ops with visitng dignitaries who have agendas of their own.

The itinerary of President Biden’s visit, scheduled for 13-15 July, includes several things that are tremendously problematic for Israel’s sovereignty and security:

  • A first-of-its-kind visit by a US President to East Jerusalem without any Israeli presence or accompaniment, signaling that our capital is divided between two independent sovereigns, constituting a substantive violation of US law, Israeli law and diplomatic protocol;
  • Solidifying Israeli agreement to a Palestinian Authority presence at the Allenby Border Crossing, signaling joint sovereignty and authority over our border and the secession of our our control and sovereignty over the Jordan Valley;
  • Official recognition of the upgraded status of the Palestinian Affairs Office as a de facto embassy to Palestine in West Jerusalem, with an eye towards opening a full embassy in the East Jerusalem consular building, shut down by the Trump Administration.

Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley are Israel’s most vital existential interests.

They’re not for sale.