Israel reopens West Bank's Ganim settlement after 20 years

JERUSALEM — Israel formally reopened the Ganim settlement bloc in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, more than 20 years after evacuating the community. The site had been closed since Israel withdrew from the settlement roughly two decades ago, and the reopening follows changes to military and administrative arrangements in the area. Ganim was among the settlements emptied by Israel during earlier withdrawals. The decision to reactivate the bloc is expected to revive debate over the expansion of settlement activity on Palestinian land, a subject that has long drawn international scrutiny. Israeli officials linked the move to security conditions in the area as well as political considerations, noting that the settlement's return to operation would require updates to the structural and administrative order on the ground. Authorities said the reopening would create a new framework in terms of international law and regional discussions, though they did not detail specific next steps. No further details were immediately available.