This is a list of Israeli settlements in the Israeli-occupied territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. Israel had previously established settlements in both the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula; however, the Gaza settlements were dismantled in the Israeli disengagement from Gaza in 2005, and the Sinai settlements were evacuated with the Egypt–Israel peace treaty and the return of the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt. This list does not include West Bank settlements that were dismantled or Israeli outposts.

Israel in effect annexed East Jerusalem with the Jerusalem Law and considers settlements in the expanded boundaries of East Jerusalem to be neighborhoods of Jerusalem and not settlements. The United Nations Security Council ruled that act "null and void" in United Nations Security Council Resolution 478, and the international community considers East Jerusalem to continue to be held under Israeli occupation.

Israel in effect annexed the Golan Heights with the Golan Heights Law and does not consider the localities established there to be settlements. The United Nations Security Council ruled that act "null and void" in United Nations Security Council Resolution 497 and the international community continues to view the Golan Heights to be Syrian territory held under Israeli occupation.

The international community considers Israeli settlements in the Israeli-occupied territories illegal under international law, violating the Fourth Geneva Convention's prohibition on the transfer of a civilian population to or from occupied territory, though Israel disputes this.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

West Bank

Further information: Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Israeli law in the West Bank settlements

City settlements in the West Bank

Four settlements have been given city status. Their combined population is over 200,000, representing around half of the West Bank settler population outside of East Jerusalem.

Name Hebrew Image map Population (2021)[7] Est.[7] Council
Ariel אריאל Map of the area 19,647 1978 Shomron
Beitar Illit ביתר עילית Map of the area 63,220 1985 Gush Etzion
Ma'ale Adumim מעלה אדומים Map of the area 37,555 1975 Gush Etzion
Modi'in Illit מודיעין עילית Map of the area 80,996 1996 Mateh Binyamin

Other settlements in the West Bank, excluding East Jerusalem

Name Hebrew Population (2021)[7] Est.[7] Council
Adora (Adura) אדורה 474 1984 Har Hebron
Alei Zahav עלי זהב 4,280 1982 Shomron
Alfei Menashe אלפי מנשה 7,966 1983 Shomron
Almog אלמוג 255 1977 Megilot
Almon עלמון 1,442 1982 Mateh Binyamin
Alon אלון 1,031 1990 Mateh Binyamin
Alon Shvut אלון שבות 3,061 1970 Gush Etzion
Amihai עמיחי 209 2018 Mateh Binyamin
Argaman ארגמן 133 1968 Bik'at HaYarden
Asfar (Metzad) מיצד 1,114 1983 Gush Etzion
Ateret עטרת 954 1981 Mateh Binyamin
Avnat (Ovnat) אבנת 260 1983 Megilot
Avnei Hefetz אבני חפץ 2,223 1990 Shomron
Barkan ברקן 2,005 1981 Shomron
Bat Ayin בת עין 1,672 1989 Gush Etzion
Beit Aryeh-Ofarim בית אריה 5,409 1981 Shomron
Beit El בית אל 5,681 1977 Mateh Binyamin
Beit HaArava בית הערבה 451 1980 Megilot
Beit Horon בית חורון 1,468 1977 Mateh Binyamin
Beit Yatir (Metzadot Yehuda) בית יתיר 634 1983 Har Hebron
Beka'ot (Bqa'ot) בקעות 186 1972 Bik'at HaYarden
Brukhin ברוכין 2,129 2012 Shomron
Carmel כרמל 467 1981 Har Hebron
Dolev דולב 1,569 1983 Mateh Binyamin
Efrat (Efrata) אפרת 11,804 1980 Gush Etzion
Elazar אלעזר 2,561 1975 Gush Etzion
Eli עלי 4,613 1984 Mateh Binyamin
Elkana אלקנה 4,072 1977 Shomron
Elon Moreh אלון מורה 2,009 1979 Shomron
Einav (Enav) ענב 983 1981 Shomron
Eshkolot אשכולות 609 1982 Har Hebron
Etz Efraim עץ אפרים 2,519 1985 Shomron
Ganei Modi'in גני מודיעין 2,603 1985 Mateh Binyamin
Geva Binyamin גבע בנימין 5,857 1984 Mateh Binyamin
Gilgal גלגל 222 1970 Bik'at HaYarden
Gitit גיתית 498 1973 Bik'at HaYarden
Giv'at Ze'ev גבעת זאב 20,034 1983 Mateh Binyamin
Giv'on HaHadasha גבעון החדשה 1,020 1980 Mateh Binyamin
Haggai (Beit Hagai) בית חגי 701 1984 Har Hebron
Halamish חלמיש 1,485 1977 Mateh Binyamin
Hamra חמרה 273 1971 Bik'at HaYarden
Har Adar הר אדר 4,108 1986 Mateh Binyamin
Har Brakha הר ברכה 3,062 1983 Shomron
Har Gilo הר גילה 1,648 1972 Gush Etzion
Hashmonaim חשמונאים 2,646 1985 Mateh Binyamin
Hemdat חמדת 343 1980 Bik'at HaYarden
Hermesh חרמש 235 1982 Shomron
Hinanit חיננית 1,513 1981 Shomron
Immanuel עמנואל 4,372 1983 Shomron
Itamar איתמר 1,354 1984 Shomron
Kalya קלי"ה 489 1968 Megilot
Karmei Tzur כרמי צור 965 1984 Gush Etzion
Karnei Shomron קרני שומרון 9,663 1978 Shomron
Kedar (Keidar) קדר 1,617 1985 Gush Etzion
Kedumim קדומים 4,590 1977 Shomron
Kfar Adumim כפר אדומים 4,927 1979 Mateh Binyamin
Kfar Etzion כפר עציון 1,278 1967 Gush Etzion
Kfar HaOranim (Menora) כפר האורנים 2,607 1998 Mateh Binyamin
Kfar Tapuach כפר תפוח 1,522 1978 Shomron
Kiryat Arba קרית ארבע 7,499 1972 Har Hebron
Kiryat Netafim קרית נטפים 991 1983 Shomron
Kokhav HaShahar כוכב השחר 2,515 1977 Mateh Binyamin
Kokhav Ya'akov כוכב יעקב 9,524 1985 Mateh Binyamin
Ma'ale Amos מעלה עמוס 822 1981 Gush Etzion
Ma'ale Efrayim מעלה אפרים 1,318 1970 Bik'at HaYarden
Ma'ale Levona מעלה לבונה 976 1983 Mateh Binyamin
Ma'ale Mikhmas מעלה מכמש 1,691 1981 Mateh Binyamin
Ma'ale Shomron מעלה שומרון 1980 Shomron
Ma'on מעון 592 1981 Har Hebron
Maskiot משכיות 341 1986 Bik'at HaYarden
Masua משואה 263 1970 Bik'at HaYarden
Matityahu מתתיהו 922 1981 Mateh Binyamin
Mehola מחולה 649 1968 Bik'at HaYarden
Mekhora מכורה 186 1973 Bik'at HaYarden
Mevo Dotan מבוא דותן 509 1978 Shomron
Mevo Horon מבוא חורון 2,694 1970 Mateh Binyamin
Migdal Oz מגדל עוז 567 1977 Gush Etzion
Migdalim מגדלים 543 1983 Shomron
Mitzpe Shalem מצפה שלם 238 1971 Megilot
Mitzpe Yeriho מצפה יריחו 2,638 1978 Mateh Binyamin
Na'ale נעלה 2,608 1988 Mateh Binyamin
Na'omi (Na'ama) נעמי 165 1982 Bik'at HaYarden
Nahliel נחליאל 737 1984 Mateh Binyamin
Negohot נגוהות 468 1999 Har Hebron
Netiv HaGdud נתיב הגדוד 220 1976 Bik'at HaYarden
Neve Daniel נווה דניאל 2,360 1982 Gush Etzion
Nili נילי 1,878 1981 Mateh Binyamin
Na'aran (Niran) נירן 101 1977 Bik'at HaYarden
Nofei Prat נוֹפֵי פְּרָת 1,200 1992 Mateh Binyamin
Nofim נופים 1,042 1987 Shomron
Nokdim נוקדים 2,764 1982 Gush Etzion
Ofra עפרה 3,026 1975 Mateh Binyamin
Oranit אורנית 9,114 1985 Shomron
Otniel עתניאל 994 1983 Har Hebron
Peduel פדואל 2,098 1984 Shomron
Pnei Hever (Ma'ale Hever) מעלה חבר 729 1982 Har Hebron
Petza'el פצאל 361 1975 Bik'at HaYarden
Psagot פסגות 2,077 1981 Mateh Binyamin
Rehelim רחלים 975 2013 Shomron
Reihan ריחן 384 1977 Shomron
Revava רבבה 2,908 1991 Shomron
Rimonim רימונים 715 1977 Mateh Binyamin
Ro'i רועי 171 1976 Bik'at HaYarden
Rosh Tzurim ראש צורים 948 1969 Gush Etzion
Rotem רותם 262 1983 Bik'at HaYarden
Sal'it סלעית 1,426 1977 Shomron
Sansana סנסנה 665 1997 Har Hebron
Sha'arei Tikva שערי תקווה 6,122 1983 Shomron
Shadmot Mehola שדמות מחולה 677 1979 Bik'at HaYarden
Shaked שקד 1,081 1981 Shomron
Shani (Livne) לִבְנֶה 571 1989 Har Hebron
Shavei Shomron שבי שומרון 1,050 1977 Shomron
Shilo שילה 4,783 1979 Mateh Binyamin
Shim'a שמעה 886 1985 Har Hebron
Susiya סוסיא 1,376 1983 Har Hebron
Talmon טלמון 5,142 1989 Mateh Binyamin
Tekoa תקוע 4,315 1977 Gush Etzion
Telem תלם 520 1982 Har Hebron
Teneh Omarim טנא עומרים 964 1983 Har Hebron
Tomer תומר 301 1978 Bik'at HaYarden
Tzofim צופים 2,489 1989 Shomron
Vered Yeriho ורד יריחו 364 1980 Megilot
Yafit יפית 221 1980 Bik'at HaYarden
Yakir יקיר 2,485 1981 Shomron
Yitav ייט"ב 296 1970 Bik'at HaYarden
Yitzhar יצהר 2,020 1983 Shomron

Several former Israeli outposts have been retroactively "legalized" under Israeli law as "neighborhoods" of formerly existing Israeli settlements:

East Jerusalem

Following the capture and occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem in 1967, the Israeli government effectively annexed the formerly Jordanian occupied territory and extended the Jerusalem municipality borders by adding 70,500 dunams of land with the aim of establishing Jewish settlements and cementing the status of a united city under Israeli control. The Jerusalem Master Plan 1968 called for increasing the Israeli population of Arab East Jerusalem, encircling the city with Israeli settlements and excluding large Palestinian neighborhoods from the expanded municipality.[8] Jerusalem was effectively annexed by Israel in 1980, an act that was internationally condemned and ruled "null and void" by the United Nations Security Council in United Nations Security Council Resolution 478. The international community continues to regard East Jerusalem as occupied territory and Israel's settlements there illegal under international law.[1]

Name Hebrew Population (2019)[9][10] Est.
East Talpiot תלפיות מזרח 15,104 1967
French Hill (Giv'at Shapira) הגבעה הצרפתית 8,826 1969
Gilo גילֹה 30,820 1973
Giv'at Hamivtar גבעת המבתר 2,944 1970
Har Homa הר חומה 19,950 1997
Ma'alot Dafna מעלות דפנה 3,260 1972
Neve Yaakov נווה יעקב 21,780 1972
Pisgat Ze'ev פסגת זאב 44,512 1985
Ramat Eshkol רמת אשכול 3,573 1970
Ramat Shlomo רמת שלמה 15,070 1995
Ramot Alon רמות אלון 41,410 1974
Total: 207,249

Smaller Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem include Beit Orot, Givat HaMatos, Ma'ale HaZeitim, and Nof Zion.

Golan Heights

In 1967, construction of Israeli settlements began in the portion of the Golan Heights held by Israel. That area remained under military administration until 1981 when Israel passed the Golan Heights Law extending Israeli law and administration throughout the territory.[11] That 1981 decision was condemned by the United Nations Security Council in UN Resolution 497,[12][13] which stated that "the Israeli decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights is null and void and without international legal effect." Israel maintains it has a right to retain the Golan, citing the text of UN Resolution 242, which calls for "safe and recognised boundaries free from threats or acts of force".[14] However, the international community rejects Israeli claims to title to the territory and regards it as sovereign Syrian territory.[15][16][17]

Population of Israeli settlements in the Golan Heights
Name Hebrew Population 2021.[7] Est.[7]
Katzrin קַצְרִין‬ 7,606 1977
Afik אֲפִיק‬ 357 1972
Ein Zivan עֵין זִיוָן‬ 427 1968
El Rom אֶל רוֹם‬ 442 1971
Geshur גְּשׁוּר 310 1971
Kfar Haruv כְּפַר חָרוּב 478 1974
Merom Golan מְרוֹם גּוֹלָן 754 1967
Metzar מֵיצָר 324 1981
Mevo Hama מְבוֹא חַמָּה 459 1968
Natur נָטוּר 910 1980
Ortal אוֹרְטַל 369 1978
Alonei HaBashan אַלּוֹנֵי הַבָּשָׁן 472 1981
Ani'am אֲנִיעָם 502 1978
Avnei Eitan אַבְנֵ"י אֵיתָ"ן 811 1973
Bnei Yehuda בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה 1,129 1972
Eliad אֵלִי עַד 484 1968
Givat Yoav גִּבְעַת יוֹאָב 728 1968
Haspin חַסְפִּין 2,071 1978
Kanaf כָּנָף 466 1985
Keshet קֶשֶׁת 863 1974
Kidmat Tzvi קִדְמַת צְבִי 537 1981
Ma'ale Gamla מַעֲלֵה גַּמְלָא 574 1975
Neot Golan נְאוֹת גּוֹלָן 670 1968
Neve Ativ נְוֵה אַטִי"ב 141 1972
Nov נוֹב 1,026 1974
Odem אֹדֶם 175 1975
Ramat Magshimim רָמַת מַגְשִׁימִים 784 1968
Ramot רָמוֹת 544 1969
Sha'al שַׁעַל 316 1980
Yonatan יוֹנָתָן 802 1975
Kela Alon קלע אלון 390 1981, 1991
Had Ness חַד נֵס 877 1989

References

  1. ^ a b Roberts, Adam (1990). "Prolonged Military Occupation: The Israeli-Occupied Territories Since 1967". The American Journal of International Law. American Society of International Law. 84 (1): 60, 69, 85–86. doi:10.2307/2203016. JSTOR 2203016. S2CID 145514740. p. 60: Although East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights have been brought directly under Israeli law, by acts that amount to annexation, both of these areas continue to be viewed by the international community as occupied, and their status as regards the applicability of international rules is in most respects identical to that of the West Bank and Gaza.
    p 69: SC Res. 446 (Mar. 22, 1979), adopted by 12 votes to none, with 3 abstentions (Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States), reaffirmed the applicability of the fourth Geneva Convention, as well as opposing the establishment of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories
    pp 85–86: The international community has taken a critical view of both deportations and settlements as being contrary to international law. General Assembly resolutions have condemned the deportations since 1969, and have done so by overwhelming majorities in recent years. Likewise, they have consistently deplored the establishment of settlements, and have done so by overwhelming majorities throughout the period (since the end of 1976) of the rapid expansion in their numbers. The Security Council has also been critical of deportations and settlements; and other bodies have viewed them as an obstacle to peace, and illegal under international law
  2. ^ Pertile, Marco (2005). "'Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory': A Missed Opportunity for International Humanitarian Law?". In Conforti, Benedetto; Bravo, Luigi (eds.). The Italian Yearbook of International Law. Vol. 14. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. p. 141. ISBN 978-90-04-15027-0. the establishment of the Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory has been considered illegal by the international community and by the majority of legal scholars
  3. ^ Barak-Erez, Daphne (2006). "Israel: The security barrier—between international law, constitutional law, and domestic judicial review". International Journal of Constitutional Law. Oxford University Press. 4 (3): 548. doi:10.1093/icon/mol021. The real controversy hovering over all the litigation on the security barrier concerns the fate of the Israeli settlements in the occupied territories. Since 1967, Israel has allowed and even encouraged its citizens to live in the new settlements established in the territories, motivated by religious and national sentiments attached to the history of the Jewish nation in the land of Israel. This policy has also been justified in terms of security interests, taking into consideration the dangerous geographic circumstances of Israel before 1967 (where Israeli areas on the Mediterranean coast were potentially threatened by Jordanian control of the West Bank ridge). The international community, for its part, has viewed this policy as patently illegal, based on the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention that prohibit moving populations to or from territories under occupation
  4. ^ Drew, Catriona (1997). "Self-determination and population transfer". In Bowen, Stephen (ed.). Human rights, self-determination and political change in the occupied Palestinian territories. International studies in human rights. Vol. 52. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. pp. 151–152. ISBN 978-90-411-0502-8. It can thus clearly be concluded that the transfer of Israeli settlers into the occupied territories violates not only the laws of belligerent occupation but the Palestinian right of self-determination under international law. The question remains, however, whether this is of any practical value. In other words, given the view of the international community that the Israeli settlements are illegal under the law if belligerent occupation
  5. ^ International Labour Organization (2005). "The situation of workers of the occupied Arab territories" (PDF). p. 14. The international community considers Israeli settlements within the occupied territories illegal and in breach of, inter alia, United Nations Security Council resolution 465 of 1 March 1980 calling on Israel "to dismantle the existing settlements and in particular to cease, on an urgent basis, the establishment, construction and planning of settlements in the Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem"
  6. ^ Benveniśtî, Eyāl (2004). The international law of occupation. Princeton University Press. p. xvii. ISBN 978-0-691-12130-7. In its advisory opinion of July 9, 2004, on the Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the International Court of Justice found Israel in breach of several international law obligations by its construction of a separation barrier on West Bank territory. ... The Court flatly rejects the Israeli claims concerning the inapplicability of the Fourth Geneva Convention to the West Bank and concerning the inapplicability of Article 49 to the Jewish settlements in the areas occupied by Israel. Neither of these claims gained serious support from the international community
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Regional Statistics". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  8. ^ Rawan Asali Nuseibeh (8 October 2015). Political Conflict and Exclusion in Jerusalem: The Provision of Education and Social Services. Taylor & Francis. pp. 43–. ISBN 978-1-317-53576-8.
  9. ^ "Israeli Settlements (2019) - OCHA OPT" (PDF).
  10. ^ "Settlements List". Peace Now. Retrieved 2023-01-11.
  11. ^ Golan Heights Law, MFA.
  12. ^ Korman, Sharon, The Right of Conquest: The Acquisition of Territory by Force in International Law and Practice, Oxford University Press, pp. 262–263
  13. ^ UN Security Council Resolution 497
  14. ^ Y.Z Blum "Secure Boundaries and Middle East Peace in the Light of International Law and Practice" (1971) pages 24–46
  15. ^ * "The international community maintains that the Israeli decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian Golan is null and void and without international legal effect." International Labour Office (2009). The situation of workers of the occupied Arab territories (International government publication ed.). International Labour Office. p. 23. ISBN 978-92-2-120630-9.
  16. ^ Occupied territory:
  17. ^ Korman, Sharon. The right of conquest: the acquisition of territory by force in international law and practice, Oxford University Press, 1996. pg. 265. ISBN 0-19-828007-6. "The continued occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights is recognized by many states as valid and consistent with the provisions of the United Nations Charter, on a self-defence basis. Israel, on this view, would be entitled to exact as a condition of withdrawal from the territory the imposition of security measures of an indefinite character--such as perpetual demilitarization, or the emplacement of a United Nations force--which would ensure, or tend to ensure, that the territory would not be used against it for aggression on future occasions. But the notion that Israel is entitled to claim any status other than that of belligerent occupant in the territory which it occupies, or to act beyond the strict bounds laid down in the Fourth Geneva Convention, has been universally rejected by the international community--no less by the United States than by any other state."
Categories