West Bank & Gaza
Status, administration, population, and key legal questions.
Explainers in this topic
2 pieces
Israeli Settlements: History, Law, Population and Politics
Israeli settlements are civilian communities that Israel has built since 1967 on land it captured in the June 1967 war: the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights and, until 2005, the Gaza Strip. In 2005 Israel removed all 21 settlements in Gaza and four in the northern West Bank. Israeli law separates settlements approved by the government from outposts built without approval, and the Supreme Court has barred the seizure of private Palestinian land for them. A UN human rights report of March 2025, using Peace Now data, counted about 503,700 settlers in the West Bank and 233,600 in East Jerusalem. A settler-run count gave 541,085 for the West Bank on 1 January 2026. The UN Security Council and the International Court of Justice (2004 and 2024) hold that settlements breach international law. Israel's government rejects that view. The governing right backs expansion; the centre-left backs separation.
The Gaza Strip and West Bank
The Gaza Strip and West Bank are central to Israel's story of resilience, security needs, and hopes for peace. These areas represent the ancient Jewish homeland, modern defensive victories, and repeated efforts at compromise amid ongoing threats.