The Israeli non-governmental organization Peace Now confirmed in a report released last Friday that the West Bank has experienced a surge in settlement activity since the start of the war on the Gaza Strip, following an unprecedented increase in the number of random settlements and newly constructed roads for settlers.
The report noted that settlers have established or re-established at least 10 settlement outposts since the beginning of the Gaza war, some of which had been evacuated in the past and then rebuilt.
Furthermore, the organization documented at least 18 new roads built by settlers. They estimate that the actual number may be higher than what has been recorded. The report clarified that these roads enable the encroachment of new areas along their path and prevent Palestinians from accessing them.
The report continued, addressing how settlers maintain their control over Area C in the West Bank, which comprises 60% of its land area, further marginalizing Palestinian presence there, especially with the proliferation of roadblocks that prevent Palestinians from accessing main roads in the West Bank.
The settlers took advantage of the three months of war to effectively take over vast areas in Area C, the report said, underscoring that settlers continue to build roads and outposts, disregarding the legal status of the land.
Increased Settler Involvement in Decision-Making
The organization also pointed out an increase in settlers' participation in security and civil decisions affecting Palestinians' lives, including preventing the opening of roads to Palestinian vehicles and the closure of entrances to Palestinian villages.
Peace Now demanded an immediate halt to what it called the "settlement frenzy," as it leads to a significant political shift in the West Bank, amidst a permissive military and political environment for land appropriation. It is noteworthy that several settlement supporters currently hold ministerial positions in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
The organization estimates that over 700,000 settlers live in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
It was reported last week by the Israeli non-governmental organization Yesh Din that the acts of violence committed by settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank reached a record number in 2023.
Meanwhile, the United Nations also recorded 1,225 attacks carried out by settlers against Palestinians during the same year.
In December 2020, the Israeli government approved allocating 75 million shekels (approximately 20 million dollars) to secure illegal settlement outposts in the West Bank, despite increasing international and UN criticism of settler violence in the area.
This comes amid continued incursions and assaults by the Israeli military in the occupied West Bank, coinciding with the ongoing aggression against the besieged Gaza Strip.
