Last week, dozens of activists, public figures and local officials affiliated with the Right convened at Jerusalem's Ramada Hotel for an extraordinary conference organized by the Yesha Council. While Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's comments about Gaza's future dominated headlines, the real transformation was taking shape behind the scenes: the formulation of a comprehensive settlement plan that has begun to materialize.
Likud MK Avihai Boaron's initiative has seen several prominent settlement leaders and well-known right-wing public figures gathered to develop a realistic yet ambitious plan for the West Bank in the coming years. Their goal: to create an operational strategy ready for implementation during a potential Trump administration. The high-level meeting brought together Yesha Council Chairman Israel Gantz, its CEO, Omer Rachamim, Shaar Shomron Regional Council Head Avi Roeh (who previously chaired the Yesha Council), and the heads of various local councils.
"We are at a critical juncture – a window of opportunity that we can utilize either wisely or squander," MK Boaron said. "Taking the foolish path would merely result in 700,000 residents and additional housing units four years from now. The wise approach would establish conditions to make Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley inseparable from Israel – not just by creating demographic facts on the ground, but by fundamentally transforming the region's administrative framework."
One of the plan's most significant aspects addresses future territorial control. While sovereignty features prominently, the officials focused their discussions on practical implementation rather than declarative statements. They propose "returning to the pre-Oslo [Accords] decision point, before we began to lose direction" – effectively suggesting the dissolution of the Palestinian Authority.
The first phase involves expanding local council authority to encompass entire regional council areas. Unlike other regional councils in Israel, West Bank authorities currently have jurisdiction only over settlement areas. Extending jurisdictional boundaries to include interconnecting areas would significantly strengthen these authorities' administrative capabilities.
The proposal also addresses governance of Arab villages in Area C, which technically fall under full Israeli control but effectively operate under Palestinian civil administration or, in some cases, with minimal oversight. Council heads proposed removing Palestinian Authority management from these villages, implementing comprehensive urban development plans, and creating employment opportunities for Arab residents under Israeli jurisdiction.
The officials also outlined a broader vision for the entire territory, prominently featuring the dissolution of the Palestinian Authority in favor of Arab municipal authorities – effectively transforming Israel's role into a federal–style administration. "The two-state solution must be permanently removed from consideration through clear political directives," states MK Boaron.
"Instead, the Arab population in the West Bank would be under self-governing municipal authorities. These would receive and pay for services from Israel, with residents holding status similar to Jerusalem's Arab residents. Their national orientation would mirror the pre-1967 arrangement under Jordanian administration."
"We cannot risk allowing terror organizations to operate freely – it could result in an October 7-style attack at much closer range, from Hebron to Arad (about 25 miles) or from Qalqilya to Kfar Saba (less than 7 miles). The world's largest Jewish population center is vulnerable. This situation must end, starting with the dissolution of the centralized Palestinian government in favor of regionally managed authorities under federal oversight," Boaron said.
The plan calls for massive infrastructure investment. Several months ago, Israel Hayom revealed Energy Minister Eli Cohen's plan, co-developed with MK Boaron, to establish power stations throughout the West Bank. Recently, Cohen announced construction of the first power station in the western Judea region, along with Israel's largest solar field in the Jordan Valley.
Local authority heads envision transforming Judea and Samaria into an energy and industrial powerhouse, fully integrated with Israel's economy. "Our goal is to make the West Bank, particularly the Jordan Valley, Israel's primary power generation hub," said one official. This vision requires comprehensive transportation infrastructure, including upgrading Route 60 and Route 90, plus establishing an extensive railway network throughout the region.
"We must fundamentally change the operating system," MK Boaron told Israel Hayom. "This means applying Israeli law, establishing government ministry presence in the territory, and building comprehensive energy, gas, and transportation infrastructure. We'll create industrial, commercial, and transportation zones, while taking control of open spaces to be managed by Israel – not just for construction but for natural resources, archaeological sites, and more. It should become an inseparable part of sovereign Israel. Just as the Galilee is part of Israel, so too should Binyamin be; as the Negev is Israel, so too should the Valley be; and as the Shfela is Israel, so too should Mount Hebron be."
The settlement expansion component features prominently in the plan. Officials propose establishing three or four new cities, including dedicated communities for Druze and ultra-Orthodox populations. These would cater to ideologically motivated residents willing to relocate in significant numbers. "This demographic shift would fundamentally alter the region's character, ultimately leading to sovereignty," a senior official involved in the planning noted.
The proposal also includes elevating strategically positioned settlements to city status through funded government initiatives. Targeted locations include Maale Efraim (31 miles from Jerusalem), Nachliel, Eli, Kiryat Arba (just outside Hebron), and Efrat (6 miles south of Jerusalem). Planners unanimously agree that the Trump administration should be utilized for an intensive four-year development surge.
The farms project, designed to protect Area C territories, occupies a central role in the strategic plan. Local authority heads and public figures advocate for significant expansion of the agricultural enterprise, proposing hundreds of additional farms to safeguard state lands, supported by a robust legal framework. As one public figure succinctly stated, "Maximum territory, minimum people."
"We must ensure that American policy doesn't simply resume from where the Deal of the Century left off, which effectively sought to constrain settlement growth," explains MK Boaron. "That approach would have resulted in Israel losing effective control in the West Bank. The equation must be reversed – all open space and Israeli–developed areas should come under Israeli sovereignty. We need to apply Israeli law to these territories and begin actively managing them to maintain effective control. This isn't just a theoretical framework – it's an implementation plan that we will actively advance in the coming years."
