About our Israeli Settlements news
Latest news on Israeli settlements in the occupied territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, one of the most contentious issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israeli settlements are Jewish communities built on land seized by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War, and are considered illegal under international law. Israeli authorities, however, argue that they have a biblical and historical claim to the land.
As of January 2023, the West Bank has 144 Israeli settlements, of which 12 are located in East Jerusalem. In addition to these settlements, there are over 100 Israeli illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are established without authorisation from the Israeli government. The Israeli settlements in the West Bank, excluding East Jerusalem, are home to more than 450,000 Israeli settlers. In East Jerusalem, over 220,000 Jewish settlers reside, making the total number of Israeli settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem over 670,000. The Golan Heights, a region that was captured by Israel from Syria during the same war, is also home to over 25,000 Israeli settlers. The Israeli government has annexed the Golan Heights, a move that has not been recognised by the international community.
The presence of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the Golan Heights is a major obstacle to the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and has been a subject of ongoing international concern and debate. The settlements are built on land earmarked for a future Palestinian state, and the growth of these settlements has been a major obstacle to peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. The Palestinians argue that the settlements are a violation of their rights and hinder the creation of a viable Palestinian state.
The building of Israeli settlements has also sparked international criticism and condemnation. The United Nations considers the settlements to be a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits an occupying power from transferring its own civilians into the territory it occupies. The UN Security Council has also passed resolutions calling for a halt to settlement construction, but Israel has not complied.
Supporters of the settlements argue that they are a crucial security buffer for Israel and that Jews have a right to live in their biblical homeland. Israeli authorities have also justified the construction of settlements as a way of responding to Palestinian violence. However, critics argue that settlements have not made Israel safer, and that they are a major source of tension between Israelis and Palestinians.
The issue of Israeli settlements remains a significant challenge to the prospects of a lasting peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. While some Israeli governments have been more aggressive in expanding settlements, others have taken a more cautious approach. The international community, including the United States, has long called for a halt to settlement construction, but so far, no significant progress has been made. The future of the settlements and their impact on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains uncertain.