Over the past year, the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank including East Jerusalem has surged at an alarming rate, reflecting Israel’s determination to impose new facts on the ground in Palestinian territory. Despite clear violations of international law, Israel continues to systematically advance settlement projects, seizing Palestinian land and implementing policies that undermine the viability of a Palestinian state by denying it territorial contiguity.

The Israeli Settlements in Jerusalem and the West Bank: Annual Report 2024, published by the Maps & GIS Department of the Arab Studies Society, provides a comprehensive account of these developments.1 It examines how Israeli authorities approve and implement settlement projects through key institutions and planning bodies such as the Supreme Planning Council and the Jerusalem Municipality. By mapping these expansion efforts and the mechanisms behind them, the report offers critical insights into the evolving territorial and demographic realities shaped by Israeli policy.

The report gathers data by tracking the progression of settlement plans through official channels, following a structured approval process. Settler projects and expansion plans are first presented to the Supreme Planning Council for discussion. Once approved, they are formally announced by the Jerusalem Municipality, the Jerusalem District Planning and Building Committee (for settlements falling within the official Israeli boundaries of Jerusalem, i.e., including East Jerusalem), or the Civil Administration (for settlements located in the rest of the occupied West Bank). Hence, settlement master plans typically progress through three key stages: (1) depositing the master plan and allowing for an objection/appeal period; (2) approving the master plan and granting final authorization for implementation; and (3) publishing tenders—initiating the execution of the approved master plan.

The Maps & GIS Department systematically tracks these announcements, monitors settler activities in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and documents and analyzes the data. The number of announced settler master plans in 2024 is shown in the chart below.

Since its illegal occupation and annexation of East Jerusalem in 1967, the Israeli government has continuously expanded and built new settlements, in an ongoing process of Judaizing the city (see Settlements). The report reveals how large-scale infrastructure projects and settlement expansion are reshaping the city’s landscape, demographics, and urban fabric.

Geographically, Israeli authorities have intensified efforts to transform the city’s layout by digging tunnels, constructing roads and bypass roads, and expanding the light rail to connect settlements. These measures aim to integrate the eastern and western parts of Jerusalem into a single entity while simultaneously isolating and fragmenting Palestinian neighborhoods. Meanwhile, authorities continue renaming historical and geographical sites, systematically erasing their Arab and Islamic heritage.

Demographically, settlement expansion is accelerating through the construction of new housing units, the enlargement of existing settlements, and the establishment of outposts within and around Palestinian communities. This goes hand in hand with the forced displacement of Palestinian residents, exemplified by the case of Batn al-Hawa in Silwan, where the report documents expulsion orders that have led to the removal of Palestinian families from their homes based on pre-1948 Jewish ownership claims. Recently, more than 18 Palestinian families were ordered to vacate their homes there.2 Similar situations exist elsewhere in Silwan (e.g., al-Bustan, Wadi Hilweh), Sheikh Jarrah, and elsewhere in the city.

Urban development policies play a key role in reinforcing the Judaization process. While the Jerusalem Municipality pushes forward “urban renewal” projects to expand settlements, it simultaneously imposes complex restrictions on Palestinians seeking to build in East Jerusalem, making it virtually impossible. For instance, the municipality has granted the Israeli Settlement Authority and the Custodian of Absentee Property expanded powers to freeze private Palestinian housing plans, further deepening the housing crisis for Palestinian residents. The newly appointed director of the Absentee Property Authority, Khannael Gurfinkel, is described in the report as an “extremist settler” and a “racist right-wing activist.”3

The report explains that settler planning goals vary from one project to another. Some plans focus on building new housing units to increase the settler population, while others involve constructing institutions, public buildings, and infrastructure such as streets and bypass roads to improve access to settlements and connect them with the Green Line. Additionally, some projects aim to enhance settlement services by installing solar panels, water tanks, and other utilities, as well as establishing industrial zones.

Settlement activity in East Jerusalem has escalated since the US recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in December 2017, spreading across multiple neighborhoods. The Arab Studies Society documented 71 master plans for settlement expansion within the unilaterally extended municipal borders. Of these, 32 were approved, 34 were deposited (11 of which received approval), and 5 master plan tenders were cleared for implementation.

One of the most significant settlement master plans advanced in East Jerusalem in 2024 is the land registration and settlement project in Beit Hanina. Announced by the Israeli Settlement Authority, which operates under the Ministry of Justice, the project aims to seize Palestinian land under the guise of formal land registration, known as Settlement of Land Title, or SOLT. The report explains:

Another major settlement expansion scheme is the City Center Plan, which was recently approved by the Jerusalem Municipality’s Planning and Building District Committee. This plan, which threatens the Palestinian presence in Musrara and the commercial area of Salah al-Din Street, aims to reorganize the city center by restructuring zoning regulations and construction rights. Spanning 706,548 dunums, the plan extends from Musrara in the west to Wadi al-Joz in the east, reaching Sheikh Jarrah in the north and the Old City in the south. According to the report, “This master plan serves the Israeli policy to control the land and allow for only a Palestinian minority in Jerusalem.”5

Additionally, the Silicon Wadi project in the Wadi al-Joz industrial zone has been approved. This scheme aims to establish a high-tech hub for technological and commercial use.

The report documents further settlement expansions and construction plans in Umm Tuba, Beit Safafa, the French Hill, Sur Bahir, and Gilo.

The pace of settler expansion in Jerusalem has accelerated with the announcement of new settlements and outposts this year. These include Nofey Rachel near Umm Tuba, Givat Shaked to the north of Beit Safafa, and Lower Emit Hamayim between Sur Bahir and Beit Safafa.

Beyond these new settlements, tenders have been issued for the construction of additional residential neighborhoods in Beit Safafa and the French Hill, as noted in the report. Meanwhile, the Israeli Land Authority has initiated infrastructure and excavation works at Givat Hamatos settlement, paving the way for a major settlement project on Beit Safafa land. A separate scheme has been proposed to expand this settlement and connect it to Road 60 (Hebron Road). This plan includes the construction of 50-story towers containing residential units, commercial areas, institutions, and hotels, which will significantly transform the area.

Israeli authorities have also seized control of the area known as Suq al-Jumu‘a (Friday Market), which historically belonged to Jerusalemite families. Instead of preserving the market, the Jerusalem Municipality has reclassified 4,484 dunums of its land as a tourist zone (national park), effectively erasing its Palestinian identity and its history.

Land confiscation extends beyond Jerusalem’s immediate borders. In Abu Dis and al-‘Izariyya (Bethany), 2,640.30 dunums have been expropriated and reclassified as state land, with at least 1,500 housing units planned for settlers. This area lies within the southern section of the E1 Development Plan, a controversial settlement project that threatens to expel and displace three Palestinian Bedouin communities: Abu Nawwar, Wadi Abu al-Suwan, and Abu Hindi, totaling around 1,000 people.6

“Urban renewal” is a policy being implemented by the Jerusalem Municipality to increase housing units by demolishing older buildings within settlements and replacing them with high-rise towers. This method significantly increases housing density while further enhancing settler presence at the expense of the local communities. The report documents the demolition of buildings in the settlements of Talpiot, Gilo, and the French Hill, where new towers are being erected to accommodate hundreds of additional residential units in addition to public institutions, commercial zones, and kindergartens.

In 2024 alone, 13,152 housing units were announced in Jerusalem through a combination of deposits, approvals, and tenders, covering a total area of 3,138.30 dunums. These units are intended exclusively for Jewish residents.

The report also tracks settlement expansion trends in the West Bank including East Jerusalem over the past four years, revealing a dramatic surge in construction plans. Housing unit announcements have nearly doubled since 2020, reaching a record high of 26,118 in 2024. As the below chart shows, the most rapid expansion to date took place in 2024, with a 38.34 percent increase over 2023.

Israeli authorities exploit multiple legal frameworks to justify land confiscation and settlement expansion. Among them is Military Order No. 59 of 1967, which allows Israel to declare land as “state property.” Similarly, the Israeli Law of Expropriation for Public Interest (No. 321 of 1969) is used to seize land for infrastructure projects, including roads, parks, and public facilities that primarily serve settlers. Additionally, the Absentees’ Property Law of 1950 enables Israel to seize properties belonging to Palestinians displaced in 1948, further facilitating settlement expansion.

These laws have been instrumental in consolidating Israeli control over vast areas of the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, according to the report. The Jerusalem Municipality and the Civil Administration of Judea and Samaria employ these mechanisms to register confiscated lands as state property, facilitating settlement expansion, while Israeli companies exploit legal loopholes to acquire Palestinian properties.

With ongoing efforts to Judaize all aspects of the city’s life, from culture and education to urban expansion, settlement activity in Jerusalem continues unabated. This process employs a range of legal, developmental, and demographic strategies that were put to full use in 2024. As this comprehensive and very useful report illustrates, these developments are not isolated incidents; they are part of a systematic effort to solidify Israeli control over Jerusalem and erase the city’s Palestinian presence.