Israeli settlers reoccupy West Bank settlement Kadim after 21 years

Dozens of Israeli settler families have moved into the former settlement of Kadim in the occupied West Bank, marking the final stage in the reestablishment of four northern West Bank settlements dismantled during Israel's 2005 unilateral disengagement plan. The move, which took place on Thursday, August 20, 2026, has drawn sharp international criticism and raised concerns about the future of a contiguous Palestinian state.

According to the Samaria Regional Council, which governs Israeli settlements in the northern West Bank, approximately 30 "pioneer families" returned to the site east of the Palestinian city of Jenin. Footage from the area showed settlers arriving in vehicle convoys under military escort, carrying Israeli flags, furniture, and building materials. The return to Kadim completes the revival of the four settlements-Homesh, Sanur, Ganim, and Kadim-that were evacuated in 2005 as part of a plan that also saw Israel withdraw its settlers and ground forces from Gaza.

The reopening was celebrated by senior Israeli officials at a ceremony on Thursday. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a far-right settler leader who holds authority over civilian affairs in the occupied...