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The enlargement of Israeli settlements successful the occupied West Bank is astatine its highest level since astatine slightest 2017, erstwhile the United Nations began tracking specified data, according to a study by the U.N. main seen by AFP on Friday (December 12, 2025).
In 2025, "plans for astir 47,390 lodging units were advanced, approved, oregon tendered, compared with immoderate 26,170 successful 2024," the study said.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the "relentless" expansion, saying it "continues to substance tensions, impede entree by Palestinians to their onshore and endanger the viability of a afloat independent, democratic, contiguous and sovereign Palestinian State."
"These figures correspond a crisp summation compared to erstwhile years," helium added, noting an mean of 12,815 lodging units were added annually betwixt 2017 and 2022.
Excluding eastbound Jerusalem, which was occupied and annexed by Israel successful 1967, immoderate 500,000 Israeli settlers unrecorded successful the West Bank, on with astir 3 cardinal Palestinian residents.
"These developments are further entrenching the unlawful Israeli concern and violating planetary instrumentality and undermining the close of the Palestinian radical to self-determination," Mr. Gutteres said.
Mr. Guterres besides condemned the "continued escalation of unit and tensions successful the occupied West Bank," pointing retired operations by the Israeli Defense Forces successful the bluish West Bank that person killed a "high number" of people, displaced residents and destroyed homes and different infrastructure.
Violence successful the West Bank has soared since Hamas's October 2023 onslaught connected Israel triggered the Gaza war.
Israeli troops oregon settlers person killed astatine slightest 1,022 Palestinians successful the West Bank — some militants and civilians — since the commencement of the conflict, according to an AFP tally based connected Palestinian wellness ministry figures.
At slightest 44 Israelis person been killed successful the West Bank from Palestinian attacks oregon Israeli subject operations during the aforesaid period, according to Israeli data.
