Israel allows connecting illegal outposts in the West Bank to water and electricity without building permits
The Israeli military approved an amendment to the Planning and Construction Law in the West Bank, allowing illegal outposts to be connected to water and electricity networks without building permits, a step described by the association "Bimkom" as legitimizing the outposts and deepening discrimination.
The Israeli military approved an amendment to the Planning and Construction Law in the occupied West Bank, allowing buildings erected without permits in illegal outposts to be connected to water and electricity networks, even before the approval of plans necessary for their legalization. The commander of the Central Command of the Israeli military signed the amendment on September 23, 2026. The exception includes buildings erected before February 12, 2023, on public or private land with the owners' consent, provided they are in locations the Israeli Civil Administration intends to legalize, and that planning authorities see the possibility of approving their plans in the future. The exception is granted for three years, renewable. The association "Bimkom – Planners for Planning Rights" confirmed that this step constitutes an additional measure to legalize the outposts on the ground, and deepens discrimination between settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank. The association noted that until now, the law required obtaining a building permit to connect any building to water and electricity networks.