West Bank

Number of illegal Jewish settlements increasing rapidly

An "outpost" under construction in the West Bank

(Bild: APA/AFP/Menahem KAHANA)

Since the right-wing religious coalition government in Israel under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took office, settler activity in the West Bank has increased enormously. According to the non-governmental organization Peace Now, more illegal settlements were built on Palestinian territory in the previous year than ever before. 

According to the organization, around ten of the 26 settlements have been established since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip on 7 October. In the report, the increase in the number of illegal settlements is linked to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ultra-right-wing government taking office in December 2022. It also includes far-right politicians who support the settlers and live in settlements themselves.

Since the government took office, the Israeli authorities have allowed settlers to "establish outposts unhindered". Under the Netanyahu government, "we have seen unprecedented support for settlements", Peace Now continued. The previous high for such new outposts, most of which are subsequently legalized by the authorities, was reached in 2002 with 23. 

Sanctions against "extremist" settlers
In addition to around three million Palestinians, around 490,000 Israelis live in settlements in the West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967 and is classified by the UN as illegal under international law. France imposed sanctions against 28 "extremist" Israeli settlers on Tuesday. Previously, the UK and the USA had already sanctioned several settlers.