Bank After Two DecadesAfter more than twenty years, a new wave of Israeli settlers has returned to the former settlement of Kadim in the occupied West Bank, which was previously evacuated under an earlier Israeli administration.
Approximately 30 families from Tel Aviv arrived at the site on Thursday, as reported by the regional settlers’ council. This move aligns with the current Israeli government’s push to advance Jewish settlement expansion in the West Bank.
The settlers traveled in small groups, some with Israeli military support. Vehicles adorned with Israeli flags carried trailers packed with furniture, bedding, and construction supplies.
Reversing the Settlement Ban
This return follows a recent decision by the Israeli government to lift a two-decade-old ban on Jewish settlements near Jenin.
Kadim was among four settlements in northern Samaria vacated in 2005 due to a government disengagement initiative. At that time, these settlements were seen as isolated, costly to defend, and of little strategic value.
The far-right Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, participated in a ceremony commemorating the settlers’ return.
“Twenty-one years after the expulsion from northern Samaria, we have rectified this by returning to Kadim,” Smotrich stated, referring to the area by its biblical name.
High-ranking officials such as Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana also attended the event.
Yossi Dagan, leader of the regional settlers’ council, indicated that the move to Kadim is part of a broader strategy to re-establish Jewish settlements in the region. He also voiced support for a potential return of Israeli settlers to Gaza.
Concerns Among Palestinian Residents
The resumption of settlement activities has sparked concern among Palestinian residents near the former settlement site.
Recently, white trailer homes have appeared on the hilltop where Kadim once stood, signaling preparations for the new settlers’ arrival.
Local Palestinians are observing these developments with apprehension, especially as Israel’s government continues to endorse settlement growth across the occupied West Bank.
While international law deems Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank illegal, Israeli authorities contest this interpretation and continue to back settlement endeavors.
Memories from the Past
A Palestinian vegetable farmer living close to Kadim recalls seeing the settlement being constructed during his childhood and later watching the evacuation of Israeli settlers in 2005.
Having lived in his current home for 53 years, the farmer reminisces about a time when relations with former settlers were relatively peaceful.
“Back then, we coexisted peacefully, each living our own lives,” he recalled.
The return of Israeli families to Kadim marks a notable shift from the policies that led to its 2005 evacuation.
This move is likely to further fuel debates over Israel’s settlement policies, Palestinian land rights, and the future of the occupied West Bank amid already high tensions in the region.
