The Israel Land Authority published a tender on Thursday for 627 new housing units in the Kochav Yaakov settlement located in the occupied West Bank’s Ramallah and al-Bireh governorate. The project covers approximately 25.37 hectares and was originally approved by Israeli authorities on April 27, 2025. The authority set November 30 as the deadline for construction companies to submit bids for the development.
According to the Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, the tender represents a transition from the planning phase to active construction and marketing of the settlement expansion. The commission characterized the project as designed to deepen separation between Jerusalem and surrounding Palestinian areas, and noted it reflects broader investment in settlements’ economic infrastructure beyond residential construction. The housing units are expected to expand the settlement’s built-up area and strengthen connections to adjacent settlements and access roads.
The announcement is part of a broader pattern of settlement activity tracked this year. The commission reported that Israeli authorities have issued 12 settlement tenders in the first half of 2026, encompassing 1,138 housing units spread across five main settlements, along with separate tenders for industrial zones, offices, nursing homes and tourism facilities. Illegal settlement expansion and settler violence have increased substantially across the occupied West Bank during this period, with Palestinian monitors documenting more than 11,000 attacks by Israeli forces and settlers since January 2026.
International bodies have consistently opposed Israeli settlement policy. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has stated that Israeli settlements lack legal validity and constitute a flagrant violation of international law. A 2024 International Court of Justice advisory opinion determined that Israel’s continued occupation of Palestinian territory is unlawful.
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