Jerusalem, 10 April, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Although not officially announced, the Israeli cabinet’s decision to establish or formalize 34 new Jewish Communities in Judea and Samaria drew reactions inside Israel and abroad. Supporters in the broader camp backing Jewish communities in the area presented it as a major step to strengthen Israel’s presence there.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich framed the policy as a way to block the creation of a Palestinian “terror state,” while Energy Minister Eli Cohen called related infrastructure expansion for the newly approved communities “historic,” saying Israel was applying “Sovereignty in law and in practice.”
Opponents inside Israel, activists including Peace Now, said the government had gone “into a frenzy” to create more facts on the ground before elections, arguing the move harms security, overburdens the IDF, and damages any future chance of resolving the conflict.
The Palestinian Authority called the decision a “dangerous escalation” and a “flagrant violation of international law,” saying it advances annexation and urging U.S. intervention.
Jordan’s Foreign Ministry described it as a “blatant violation of international law” and a serious blow to the two-state solution, citing U.N. Security Council Resolution 2334 and the ICJ advisory opinion.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also called it a “grave violation” of international law and U.N. resolutions and urged international action.
The plan calls for nearly every major community bloc to receive at least one additional locality, including near the Green Line, to strengthen continuity, strategic corridors, transport routes and long-term residential growth; some would be newly built, others would legalize existing outposts, mostly in Area C, the part of Judea and Samaria under full Israeli control.