West Bank & Jerusalem
Israel approves major expansion of Gilo settlement
Image credit: IMEMC News
TOP News Brief
Israel's Jerusalem District Planning and Building Committee approved a major expansion plan for the Gilo settlement on July 28, 2026, according to IMEMC News citing the Israeli organization Ir Amim. The project is designed to cement Israeli control over the strategic corridor between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, a densely populated Palestinian city in the West Bank.
Gilo, built on occupied Palestinian land south of Jerusalem, sits in a strategically significant location controlling access routes between Bethlehem and the Israeli-occupied Jerusalem area. The settlement expansion represents a continuation of Israeli construction in territories that Palestinians claim for a future independent state. The expansion plan's approval comes amid ongoing disputes over settlement activity in the West Bank.
