During a session held roughly a month ago, the political-security cabinet approved a budget of approximately 1.3 billion shekels dedicated to new settlements across Judea and Samaria. Officials kept the move confidential until today (Tuesday) to avoid straining relations with Washington during a period of friction. At the same time, another decision approved in March surfaced publicly for the first time, authorizing construction of 34 additional settlements in the West Bank. Tonight the government is also set to greenlight a further 1.075 billion shekels for new access roads serving these communities.

This latest step builds on earlier approvals granted during the current government's term for 69 settlements, bringing the overall total to 103. The newest sites will occupy dozens of strategic locations throughout the West Bank and Jordan Valley, distributed as follows: nine in Samaria, seven in Benjamin, four in the Hebron Hills, seven in the Jordan Valley, six in Gush Etzion, and one under the Megilot council.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who advanced the proposal alongside Defense Minister Israel Katz, stated that "regulating and establishing dozens of new communities forms a central pillar of the settlement revolution we have led in recent years. This is a significant security and strategic decision, part of a broader effort aimed at thwarting the dangerous idea of establishing a terror state at the heart of Israel."

The provisional names assigned to the approved settlements, along with two communities slated for regularization, are: Aloni Shomron, Rom Gilboa, Emek Dotan, Maayanot, Tzaelon, Noa, Tzafnat, Nofei Yam, Taanach, Daya, Zivda, Mevo'ot Yehoshua, Neot Harim, Ramataim, Tzofim, Natof, Maaleh Anav, Karmi Yehuda, Migdal, Chayota, Mevo Tirtza, Tzuri, Elisha, Mevo Hashemesh, Roshash, Giborei David, Masuot Har, Shizaf, Givaot Adulam, Maaleh Arugot, Mitzpe Draga, Gad Natan, and Beit Tzoar. The two communities approved for regularization are Mitzpe Yair and Yeshuv Hadaat.

The 1.3 billion shekel budget approved last month will fund pioneer neighborhoods in the newly authorized settlements. According to a proposal from Settlement Minister Orit Struk, Finance Minister Smotrich, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the funds will also support infrastructure development to enable initial occupancy while permanent construction continues.

Smotrich noted that the budget aims to ensure settlement decisions "do not remain on paper but gain substance and materialize on the ground." He added, "We are advancing successive budget decisions that fund roads, infrastructure, and now also buildings and caravans. This summer we will see many more of these communities populated." Through these allocations and the Settlement Administration at the Defense Ministry, Smotrich concluded, the government "strengthens Israel's security."

Struk described the move as "the largest Zionist-settlement initiative since the state's founding." She emphasized, "No Zionist-settlement decision of this scale has occurred in the entire history of Zionism. We are building a defensive wall for settlement in Judea and Samaria and ensuring no location remains without a community."

The funding will accelerate settlement establishment through pioneer neighborhoods alongside permanent development. Housing and Construction Minister Haim Katz remarked that "following the decision to establish the settlements, the implementation phase has arrived. Investment in settlement reinforces our hold across all parts of Israel and secures our future. The approved budget will enable development to begin, pioneer neighborhoods to rise, and infrastructure to be laid so families can settle the land promptly."

Tonight an additional budget decision will pass, with the government approving 1.075 billion shekels for paving roads and access routes to the new settlements, including the four previously evacuated communities in northern Samaria - Homesh, Sa-Nur, Ganim, and Kadim.

Smotrich described the plan as a multi-year program that "will ensure planning and paving of new access roads, upgrades to existing routes, and connections between communities, while incorporating critical security elements." The budget spans three years and covers new access roads, improvements to current paths, and links between settlements as needed. For West Bank locations, the program includes built-in security components, with any future settlements also incorporated.