Explainer: Who the Israeli settlers are and why they live on Palestinian lands

Following Israel's initiation of a military campaign in Gaza on October 7 following an attack by Hamas, the number of settler attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem has surged, doubling from an average of three to eight daily incidents, as reported by the United Nations.

But who are these settlers and where do they live?

Settlers refer to Israeli citizens living on privately-owned Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. 

The majority of settlements have been established either entirely or partially on Palestinian-owned land.

Currently, there are over 700,000 settlers, constituting approximately 10% of Israel's nearly 7 million population, residing in 150 settlements and 128 outposts scattered throughout the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The settlements are officially authorised by the Israeli government, whereas outposts are constructed without government approval, although it usually turns a blind eye. 

Outposts vary in size, ranging from small shanties housing a few individuals to communities with up to 400 inhabitants.

The motivation for settling in the occupied territories varies, with some settlers moving there for religious reasons, while others are attracted by the comparatively lower cost of living and financial incentives provided by the government. 

Ultra-orthodox Jews make up about one-third of the settler population, although even among them, many don't always identify as such.

A significant portion of Israeli Jews living in the West Bank believe that the construction of settlements enhances the country's security, a perspective supported by research from the Pew Research Center. 

The argument is that settlements serve as a security buffer for Israel by restricting the movement of Palestinians and undermining the feasibility of a Palestinian state. 

However, there are also dissenting voices on the Israeli left, contending that settlement expansion undermines the two-state solution and, consequently, Israel's prospects for peace.

When did the settlements begin?

Israel began establishing settlements shortly after gaining control of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip in the Six-Day War of June 1967. 

The first settlement, the Etzion Bloc in Hebron, was constructed in September 1967, and it currently accommodates 40,000 residents.

Some of the oldest settlements include Kfar Etzion, housing approximately 1,000 people, and Modi'in Illit, the largest settlement with around 82,000 settlers, the majority of whom are ultra orthodox Jews. 

Successive Israeli governments have pursued this policy, resulting in a growing settler population in the occupied territories.

At present, settlements control approximately 40% of the land in the occupied West Bank, and they, along with an extensive network of checkpoints for Palestinians, effectively segregate various parts of the West Bank from each other, making the prospect of a contiguous Palestinian state nearly impossible, as argued by critics.

The establishment of Jewish settlements in Palestine dates back to the early 20th century when Jews, facing widespread discrimination, religious persecution, and pogroms in Europe, began to immigrate. 

At that time, Palestine, still under British colonial control, was predominantly Arab, with a small Jewish minority. Tel Aviv, Israel's largest city, was founded as a settlement in the suburbs of the Arab city of Jaffa in 1909.

The massive influx of Jews into Palestine triggered an Arab uprising, resulting in violent conflicts.

 In the course of these events, well-armed Zionist militias forcibly displaced 750,000 Palestinians in 1948, an event referred to as the Nakba, meaning "catastrophe" in Arabic.

Regarding government support, the Israeli government openly funds and constructs settlements for Jewish residents. 

Israeli authorities provide settlers in the West Bank with an annual allocation of around 20 million shekels ($5 million) to monitor, report, and restrict Palestinian construction in Area C, which constitutes over 60% of the West Bank. 

These funds are used to hire inspectors and procure equipment like drones, aerial imagery, tablets, and vehicles, among other resources. 

On 4 April, Israeli authorities requested to double this budget to 40 million shekels ($10 million).

What does the Israeli government say

Several Israeli laws facilitate settler land acquisition, including the declaration of approximately 26% of the West Bank's territory as "state land," on which settlements can be built. 

Legal mechanisms are also employed to expropriate Palestinian property for public purposes such as roads, settlements, and parks.

Following the signing of the 1993 Oslo Accords with the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), the Israeli government officially ceased to build new settlements, but the existing ones continued to expand. 

Consequently, the settler population in the West Bank and East Jerusalem has grown significantly, from approximately 250,000 in 1993 to nearly 700,000 by September of the current year.

However, in 2017, Israel formally announced the initiation of new settlements. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, has consistently promoted settlement expansion since his first term in 1996.

Additionally, there are Israeli "nongovernmental" organisations that utilise legal loopholes in land laws to evict Palestinians from their properties. 

Israeli authorities also regularly seize and demolish Palestinian structures, citing the absence of Israeli-issued building permits and land documents. Obtaining an Israeli building permit is considered exceedingly challenging, as noted by international rights groups.

Are these settlements legal?

All settlements and outposts are deemed illegal according to international laws, specifically the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits an occupying power from transferring its population to the area it occupies.

Activists contend that settlements function as enclaves of Israeli sovereignty, fragmenting the occupied West Bank and rendering any prospective Palestinian state akin to a series of isolated Bantustans, drawing a parallel with South Africa's former black-only townships. 

The United Nations has consistently condemned settlements through multiple resolutions and votes. In 2016, a United Nations Security Council resolution declared settlements to have "no legal validity."

Despite international opposition, the United States, Israel's closest ally, has consistently provided diplomatic support. Washington has employed its veto power at the UN to shield Israel from diplomatic censure.

While Israel officially deems outposts as illegal under its own laws, in recent years, some outposts have been retrospectively legalised.

Notably, over 9,000 settlers withdrew from Gaza in 2005 when Israel dismantled settlements as part of a "disengagement" plan led by former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

To maintain control in the West Bank, Israel has constructed a Separation Barrier, or wall, spanning over 700 kilometers (435 miles) through the region. This barrier restricts the movement of more than 3 million Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, although Israel maintains that it serves security purposes.

Palestinian farmers are required to apply for permits to access their own land, and these permits must be continually renewed. They can also be denied or revoked without providing an explanation. For example, the Palestinian village of Wadi Fukin near Bethlehem has about 270 hectares designated as Area C, under Israeli control, out of its total 291 hectares. Roughly 60 percent of the occupied West Bank falls under Area C.

In addition to the Separation Barrier, there are over 700 roadblocks dispersed across the West Bank, including 140 checkpoints. About 70,000 Palestinians with Israeli work permits cross these checkpoints as part of their daily commutes. Palestinians are unable to move freely between the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, necessitating permits for such travel.

Several prominent human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and B'Tselem, have concluded that Israeli policies and laws used to control the Palestinian population can be described as constituting "apartheid."