Who are the Israeli settlers and why do they live on Palestinian lands ?

According to the United Nations, following the retaliatory deadly Hamas attack, Israel initiated a forceful bombing campaign in Gaza on October 7. As a result, the number of settler attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem has increased by more than two-fold, from an average of three occurrences per day to eight incidents per day.
Due to the recent surge in settler attacks, thousands of Palestinians have been compelled to evacuate their residences in the past year, coinciding with the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, resulting in a death toll exceeding 40,000 individuals in Gaza alone.
Settlers are Israeli citizens who reside on privately-owned Palestinian land in the occupied territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Most of the settlements have been constructed either entirely or partially on private Palestinian land.
Over 700,000 settlers, which accounts for about 11 percent of Israel's population of over 7 million, currently reside in 150 settlements and 128 outposts scattered throughout the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
A settlement is officially sanctioned by the Israeli government, whereas an outpost is constructed without any form of government authorization. Outposts can vary in size, ranging from a modest dwelling housing a few individuals to a larger colony accommodating up to 400 residents.
Certain settlers move to the occupied territories due to religious motivations, while others are attracted by the comparatively affordable cost of living and financial incentives provided by the government. A third of all settlers are comprised of Ultraorthodox Jews.
According to the Pew Research Center, a significant number of Israeli Jews settling in the West Bank believe that the establishment of settlements enhances the security of the country. The contention is that settlements serve as a protective barrier for Israel's national security by impeding the mobility of Palestinians and compromising the feasibility of a Palestinian state. Nevertheless, proponents of the Israeli left contend that the expansion of settlements undermines the viability of the two-state solution and hence diminishes Israel's chances of achieving peace.
Israel commenced the construction of settlements immediately following its acquisition of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip during the June 1967 Six-Day War.
The Etzion Bloc in Hebron became the inaugural settlement established in the occupied West Bank in September 1967. The settlement currently accommodates a population of 40,000 individuals.
Kfar Etzion, one of the most oldest settlements, accommodates approximately 1,000 individuals, whereas the largest settlement, Modi'in Illit, is home to around 82,000 settlers, the majority of whom are ultraorthodox Jews.
Israeli governments have consistently implemented this policy, resulting in an increase in the number of settlers residing in the occupied territories.
Approximately 40 percent of the occupied territory in the West Bank is now controlled by settlements. Critics argue that these settlements, in addition to an extensive system of checkpoints for Palestinians, essentially divide the Palestinian regions of the West Bank, rendering the possibility of a future unified state highly unlikely.
The first Jewish settlement in Palestine dates back to the early 20th century, when Jews, encountering extensive discrimination, religious persecution, and pogroms in Europe, began to migrate. During that time, Palestine, which was under British colonial rule, had a predominantly Arab population with a small Jewish minority.
Tel Aviv, the largest city in Israel, was established in 1909 as a settlement in the suburbs of the Palestinian Arab city of Jaffa.
The influx of Jewish immigrants to Palestine prompted an Arab revolt. However, during the subsequent outbreak of violence, the heavily armed Zionist militias forcibly removed and expelled over 750,000 Palestinians in 1948 through a process commonly referred to as ethnic cleansing. The Palestinians refer to their forced displacement as the Nakba, a term in Arabic that signifies a catastrophic event.
The Israeli government has openly provided financial resources and constructed settlements specifically designated for Jewish inhabitants.
The Israeli authorities allocate an annual sum of 20 million shekels ($5m) to provide support to its settlers in the West Bank for the purpose of monitoring, reporting, and imposing limitations on Palestinian construction activities in Area C, which constitutes more than 60 percent of the West Bank. The funds are allocated for the purpose of recruiting inspectors and procuring drones, aerial imagery, tablets, and cars among other things.
Israeli authorities requested to increase the amount in the state budget to 40 million shekels ($10m) on April 4, 2023.
In recent years, the Israeli army has established a hotline known as War Room C, which serves as a means for settlers to report Palestinian construction activities in Area C.
Multiple Israeli legislations empower settlers to appropriate Palestinian land:
Following the ratification of the 1993 Oslo Accords with the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), the Israeli government ceased the construction of new settlements, although the pre-existing settlements continued to expand.
The population of settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem increased from around 250,000 in 1993 to nearly 700,000 in September 2023.
However, in 2017, Israel officially declared the commencement of new settlements. Prime Minister Netanyahu, who has held the position since 1996, has significantly increased the expansion of Israeli settlements.
Additionally, there exist Israeli "nongovernmental" organizations that exploit legal gaps in land regulations to displace Palestinians from their property.
Israeli authorities frequently confiscate and demolish Palestinian properties, justifying their actions by pointing to the absence of building permits and land documentation given by Israel. However, international human rights organizations assert that obtaining an Israeli building permission is impossible.
According to international regulations, all settlements and outposts are deemed unlawful as they contravene the Fourth Geneva Convention. This convention prohibits an occupying power from relocating its population to the area it occupies.
Settlements are regarded by activists as areas of Israeli control that have divided the occupied West Bank, resulting in a fragmented landscape. They argue that if a future Palestinian state were to be established, it would resemble a collection of small, isolated regions similar to South Africa's old Bantustans, which were designated for black residents only.
The United Nations has condemned them through numerous resolutions and votes. In 2016, a resolution passed by the United Nations Security Council declared that settlements had “no legal validity”.
However, the United States, which is Israel's most intimate ally, has consistently offered diplomatic protection throughout the years. The United States has frequently exercised its veto authority at the United Nations to shield Israel from international condemnation.
Israel grants official approval and actively promotes the establishment of settlements. Despite seeing outposts as unlawful according to its rules, Israel has recently retroactively legalized some outposts.
Over 9,000 residents evacuated from Gaza in 2005 as Israel disbanded colonies as part of a "disengagement" strategy led by former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
In 19 July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared that Israel’s occupation of the Gaza strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is unlawful, along with the associated settlement regime, annexation and use of natural resources. The Court added that Israel's legislation and measures violate the international prohibition on racial segregation and apartheid. The ICJ mandated Israel to end its occupation, dismantle its settlements, provide full reparations to Palestinian victims and facilitate the return of displaced people.
Israel has constructed a wall, known as the Separation Barrier, which spans over 700km (435 miles) across the West Bank. This barrier limits the mobility of over 3 million Palestinians residing in the occupied regions of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. However, Israel asserts that the wall serves as a means of ensuring security.
Palestinian farmers are need to obtain permissions in order to gain access to their own property. These permissions must be renewed on a regular basis and can also be refused or canceled without any justification.
Approximately 270 out of the total 291 hectares that are owned by the Palestinian community of Wadi Fukin near Bethlehem are classified as Area C, which falls under Israeli jurisdiction. Approximately 60 percent of the West Bank is classified as Area C.
In addition to the separation wall, there are more over 700 road obstacles strategically positioned throughout the West Bank, including 140 checkpoints. Approximately 70,000 Palestinians holding Israeli work permits traverse these checkpoints on a daily basis as part of their regular commute.
Palestinians are restricted from free movement between the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, and must get permits from Israel in order to travel.
Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and B’Tselem, among other rights organizations, have determined that Israeli policies and regulations employed to exert control over the Palestinian population can be accurately characterized as "apartheid".
Between October 7, 2023, and August 12, 2024, there have been an estimated 1,250 incidents of aggression carried out by Israeli settlers, resulting in over 120 deaths and injuries, as well as substantial destruction of property. Over 1,380 demolitions have occurred, resulting in the displacement of at least 3,100 Palestinians, including 1,375 children.
“Settlers have been committing crimes in the occupied West Bank well before October 7. It is as though, however, they got a green light after October 7 to carry out more crimes,” Ghassan Daghlas, an official from the Palestinian Authority responsible for monitoring settler activity, stated.
On October 28, a Palestinian farmer who was gathering olives was fatally shot by settlers in the city of Nablus, which is located in the occupied West Bank. “We are now during the olive harvest season – people have not been able to reach 60 percent of olive trees in the Nablus area because of settler attacks,” said Daghlas.
The Bedouin village of Wadi as-Seeq in the occupied West Bank was evacuated on October 12 due to threats from settlers, resulting in the displacement of its 200 residents.
Recently, there has been a growing trend among settlers to attempt to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. This has raised worries among Palestinians, who fear that these settlers are seeking to intrude into Islam's third most sacred place. According to the "status quo" that governs the Al-Aqsa, Jewish prayers are prohibited.
Three days prior to Hamas' execution of its lethal assault on Israeli colonies, settlers stormed the mosque compound. In 2021, Israeli law enforcement forcefully entered the mosque compound in order to allow settlers to enter, which resulted in a violent ‘’conflict’’.
In February 2023, a group of extremist settlers with far-right ideologies engaged in a violent and destructive spree in the town of Huwara in the West Bank. They deliberately set fire to numerous buildings and cars, causing significant damage. In response to the violence, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich advocated for Huwara to be “wiped out”.