Estimates indicate that there are 176 settlements and 186 settlement outposts in the West Bank (Getty Images)
A new report revealed that the number of Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank rose by approximately 3% last year, 2023, and expected “accelerated growth” in the number of settlers in the West Bank in the coming years.
According to the report published by a group supporting settlement yesterday, Sunday, and based on an official population census issued by the Israeli government, the number of settlers jumped to 517,407 settlers by December 31, after it was 502,991 in the year 2022.
The report stated that the number of settlers in the West Bank increased by more than 15% during the past five years, indicating that settlers exceeded the threshold of half a million during the past year.
He explained that expectations indicate that the number of settlers in the West Bank will witness “accelerated growth” in the coming years.
He claimed that the attack launched by the Palestinian resistance, led by the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), on Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip on October 7, and the Israeli war on Gaza, were factors that convinced many Israelis who had previously opposed building settlements on occupied territories to change their positions.
"Important cracks have already occurred in the wall of opposition to Jewish settlement in the West Bank," the report said.
The pace of settlement and settlement building in the West Bank has witnessed a noticeable increase over the past few years, and all successive Israeli governments have adopted a policy of building and expanding settlements in the West Bank, and providing incentives and facilities to encourage Israeli migration there.
It is estimated that the number of settlements in the West Bank reached about 176 settlements and 186 settlement outposts at the beginning of 2023.
Source: Associated Press