The Israeli Land Authority has announced a tender for the construction of 627 new housing units in Kochav Yaakov, an illegal settlement located between Jerusalem and Ramallah. The project, covering approximately 25.37 hectares, was first approved in April 2025 and is expected to strengthen connections between Kochav Yaakov and nearby settlements. This expansion aims to further separate Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings, according to the Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission (CRRC). The Israeli government's decision is part of a series of moves aimed at exerting illegal control over the Palestinian region, with 12 similar tenders for housing units and infrastructure projects made in the first half of 2026. These actions have intensified settler violence and Israeli forces' attacks across the West Bank this year, as documented by Palestinian monitors. The UN Secretary-General has consistently labeled these settlements as having no legal validity, constituting a flagrant violation of international law, while a 2024 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice deemed Israel's continued occupation of Palestinian territory unlawful.