The National Centre for the Defence of Land and Settlement Resistance published a report, detailing Israeli settlement activities in the West Bank.
The report stated that there are 430,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank with some 2.6 million Palestinians, excluding Israeli settlers who live in Jerusalem. The report noted, “Israel began its settlements project in the West Bank in the 1970s and continued to build settlements in the West Bank following the Oslo Accords.”
The report added, “Some 200,000 Israeli settlers live in East Jerusalem among some 300,000 Palestinians. Israel annexed Eastern Jerusalem in 1980.” The reported clarified that 30,000 Israeli settlers live in the Golan Heights, which Israel occupied from Syria in 1973.
Palestinian farmer describes struggle to prevent Israeli settlers from taking over his fields and his livelihood https://t.co/SN3RbivDLM pic.twitter.com/eajks1rFxm
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) December 26, 2016
Many Israelis seek to live in the West Bank because living expenses are cheaper than that in Israel. The Israeli government encourages Israeli settlers to move to settlements such as Bitar Ilit and Maalieh Adomeem.
Many Israelis reside in the West Bank for religious reasons to “Accomplish the promise of God.” An example of this is Israeli settlers living in the Palestinian city of Al-Khalil (Hebron), the report continued.
The report concluded that Israel does not plan to withdraw from the West Bank, but rather will evacuate some unpopulated settlements only. Under this plan, Israel plans to annex settlements blocs, which have the largest Israeli population in the West Bank, the report noted.
(SAFA. PC, Social Media)
