Israeli Settlements in Palestine
An assessment

Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT, the West Bank and the area annexed to Jerusalem after the Six Day War) have consequences for American national interests and security. Whether driven by Israelis who claim they are the descendants of a late Iron Age people who heard voices they thought was God telling them that the land is theirs, or created by Israelis who argue the settlements are necessary for their country’s security, or resided in by Israelis who seek an inexpensive suburban life, the consequence are the same. Settlements:
  • violate international law
  • prevent the creation of a viable Palestinian state
  • undermine America’s interests in the region
  • damage America’s security
  • create resentment and anger that threatens the lives of Americans who are bravely serving in the area.
In order to draw attention to the settlements because of their detrimental impact on America and its citizens, this site was created to:
  1. Explain why the international legal community believes the settlements are in violation of international law (blue box);
  2. Outline why the settlements undermine the peace process and prevent the creation of a viable Palestinian state (blue box);
  3. Present the reasons why the settlements damage America’s regional interest (blue box);
  4. Inform people about the funding of the settlement enterprise through tax-exempt donations and organizations with tax-exempt status (pale blue box);
  5. Keep people informed about current issues and events relating to the settlements by posting daily links to articles from various news sources (green box);
  6. Maintain a bibliography of book focused on settlements (pink box), and
  7. Provide links to reports about the settlements from NGOs and international organizations (pale green box).

Recent News Related to Settlements   archive

Settlers have broken ground on nearly 550 West Bank homes since end of freeze, survey shows
Ha'aretz,    Oct. 21, 2010
The Associated Press reported the construction of 550 units, most of which would be in Palestine under all the informal plans developed over the years to resolve the conflict on the basis of a two state solution.      more

Settlers start 600 new homes after ban ends - report
BBC,    Oct. 21, 2010
The Israeli government is demonstrating that it is not interested in rsolving the conflict on the basis of a two-state sollution by supporting the the construction of more than 600 more housing units in the occupied Palestinian Territory.      more

Palestinian school set on fire, vandalized with 'regards from the hills' graffiti
Ha'aretz,    Oct. 20, 2010
The Judeofascist settlers continue expressing their Jewish identity by destroying a warehouse of a Palestinian school near Nablus. This is only one of the violent actions by the settlers during the past few days. The number of incidents is numbing.      more

Palestinians: Netanyahu harming chance for peace by approving East Jerusalem construction
Nir Hasson,    Has'aretz,    Oct. 15, 2010
While Israeli ambassador Michael Oren attempts in the New York Times to distract attention from the poisonous effect Israeli settlements have on the peace process and the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by raising the spurious issue of Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish State, Israel is proceeding to construct an additional 238 housing units in occupied East Jerusalem.      more

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/arabs-states-may-ask-un-to-recognize-palestinian-state-if-settlements-continue-1.319258
Ha'aretz,    Oct. 15, 2010
Egypt's foreign minister suggested that the Arab League may ask the United Nations to recognize Palestine if Israel continues to violate international law and its previous agreement under the Road Map to freeze all settlement activity.      more

Jews seek to reclaim houses in Shiekh Jarrah
Yair Altman,    YNet,    Oct. 14, 2010
While Israel refuses to recognize the Palestinian right of return, it hypocritically and inconsistently supports Jews who claim a right of return in order to expell Palestinians from occupied East Jerusalem. The latest case occurred in Sheikh Jarrah.      more

Smothered by Settlements
Mustafa Barchouthi,    NY Times,    Oct. 14, 2010
opinion piece in the New York Times analyzes the detrimental impact the settlements have on the peace process.      more

In West Bank, olive groves are on the front line in struggle over land
Joel Greenberg,    Washington Post,    Oct. 13, 2010
Judeofascists residing in the occupied Palestinian Territory are destroying olive trees owned by Palestinians. These acts are met with silence by American Jewish leaders such as Abe Foxman.      more

The tragicomedy of Obama’s peace effort
Lara Friedman,    Foreign Policy,    Oct. 12, 2010
a persuasive piece on the consequences of the failure of Obama to take the tough actions on Israel that were necessary to get Israel to freeze the settlements. As a result of his failure, Obama was criticized for being tough on Israel when he wasn't, and then took a hit for laying out a goal he was not prepared to meet.      more

Netanyahu: Israel, U.S. working quietly to resolve peace talks deadlock
Barak Ravid,    Ha'aretz,    Oct. 4, 2010
Netanyahu is reported to have agreed to a meaningless two month extension of the partial construction moratorium in exchange for significant diplomatic concessions by the United States      more

Korans Burnt In West Bank Mosque Attack
Reuters,    NY Times ,    Oct. 4, 2010
settlers who are more religious than those in Ariel, are burning a mosque and the Quran in a village near Bethlehem.      more

Future of vast Jewish enclave in West Bank far from settled
Edmund Sanders,    LA Times,    Oct. 3, 2010
report on the settlement of Ariel, noting it is deep in the occupied Palestinian Territory, it is settled largely by secular Jews, and the population is stagnant      more

Peace talks come and go, but a settlement grows
Matti Friedman,    Statesman.com,    Oct. 2, 2010
Profile of the settlement of Revava, near Nablus.      more

With freeze over, West Bank settlements ready to dive into construction
Barak Ravid, Chaim Levinson, Jonathan Lis, & Avi Issacharoff ,    Ha'aretz<,    Sept. 27, 2010
Though Israel ended the construction moratorium, Abbas will attempt to continue negotiations by seeking support and approval from the Arab League. The Palestinians also will not walk away from negotiations if Israel will simply agree to negotiate that the borders will be based on the 1949 Armistice line. Apparently, Israel won't even do that.      more

Netanyahu to settlers: Keep low profile as building freeze expires
Avi Issacharoff & Barak Ravid,    Ha'aretz<,    Sept. 26, 2010
Meanwhile, Netanyahu urged the settlers to show restraint. The article also reports that Ehud Barak told the BBC that there is a 50% chance a compromise will be reached on the settlements, and negotiations will proceed      more

Despite Netanyahu's plea for restraint, thousands of settlers celebrate end of building freeze
Jonathan Lis & Chaim Levenson,    Ha'aretz<,    Sept. 26, 2010
With the end of the construction moratorium, thousands of settlers celebrated      more

Settlers prepare to mark freeze expiration with construction surge
Jonathan Lis,    Ha'aretz,    Sept. 26, 2010
With the end of the settlement moratorium, the settlers are planning to mark the occasion with a joyful celebration that will begin construction of 2,000 housing units. The refusal of Netanyahu to continue the moratorium shows that he is too politically weak to make the tough decisions that will result in an agreement with the Palestinians and he is insincere in negotiating one.      more

Settlers break freeze with 20 mobile homes
Ma'an,    Sept. 25, 2010
Even before the moratorium ends, settlers have moved 20 mobil homes into the northern occupied Palestinian Territory      more

Israel plays down scope of future settler projects
Dan Williams,    Reuters,    Sept. 24, 2010
Israel has apparently informed the Palestinians and the United States that future settlement projects will be limited in number.      more

Settlers outraged by Obama's call to continue freeze
AUTHOR ,    SOURCE ,    Sept. 23, 2010
In response to Obama's speech, Gershon Mesika, Shomron Regional Council head called our president "an arrogant and racist politician." Needless to say, the settlers were not pleased by Obama's speech      more

Obama addresses U.N. General Assembly
AUTHOR ,    UPI,    Sept. 23, 2010
President Obama called for a continuation of the settlement construction moratorium in his speech before the U.N. General Assembly      more

Hopes and fears as settlement freeze due to expire
Yolande Knell,    BBC,    Sept. 22, 2010
report on the hopes of the settlers and the fears of the Palestinians as the settlement moratorium is set to expire. Hagit Ofran, from Peace Now, is quoted as saying the settlement moratorium has resulted in an unprecedented slowdown in construction and demonstrates what can be done.      more

Be a man, freeze the settlements
Aluf Benn,    Ha'aretz,    Sept. 22, 2010
Argues that Netanyahu should be a man, stand up to the right, and freeze the settlements      more

The Guards of the Settlers Just Shoot
Hagit Ofran,    Huffington Post,    Sept. 22, 2010
Hagit Ofran from Peace Now, posted a blog on the Huffington Post about the settler guard killing a Palestinian in the village of Silwan.      more

The Other West Bank Construction Freeze
Mohammad Mustafa Op-Ed,    NY Times,    Sept. 22, 2010
Points out that Israel prevents Palestinians from building in Area C, which constitute 60% of the occupied Palestinian territory, while granting permits to build an average of 1000 housing units each year in the area. This ban on Palestinian construction constitutes a decades long construction freeze for Palestinians.      more

L.A. donors play role in Israeli settlement
Jonah Lowen feld,    Jewish Journal,    Sept. 21, 2010
article about Ariel, its future in a peace agreement, and the role Los Angeles philanthropists play in funding projects in the settlement.      more

Not Settling For Less
David Kenner,    Foreign Policy,    Sept. 21, 2010
an interview with Daniel Dayan, the fanatical leader of the settler movement. Dayan argues that the settlements are necessary for Israeli security.      more

Facts on the Ground
APN,    Sept. 20, 2010
A new on-line tool with a map organized by layers of different kinds of data. The website also has data on individual settlements, and news articles on the settlements. This promises to be an important reference tool for information about the settlement project. Notye - this tool did not work with Internet Explorer for JLW. It works fine using the Google Chrome browser.      more

Abbas: Peace talks won't continue 'a single day' if settlement freeze ends
Ha'aretz,    Sept. 20, 2010
In an interview with AFP, Palestinian President Abbas said the negotiations will end if the settlement moratorium is not continued.      more

Netherlands nixes visit by Israeli mayors
JTA,    Sept. 19, 2010
The Netherlands canceled a visit by Israeli mayors because it included representatives from the settlements of Kiryat Arba, Oranit, Beit El, Elkana, and Efrat      more

U.S. envoy: Israel, Palestinians tackling tough issues up front
Barak Ravid,    Ha'aretz,    Sept. 15, 2010
Netanyahu informed Abbas that the settlement moratorium will not continue      more

Sources: No compromise on settlements
Ma'an,    Sept. 15, 2010
Washington may present a proposal to resolve the settlement issue      more

The freeze as a test
Editorial Ha'aretz,    Sept. 15, 2010
Supports continuing the settlement freeze that Netanyahu must recognize that construction in the settlements in incompatible to a two-state solution, and if he cannot continue the freeze because of political pressure now, he will not have the political strength later to confront the right when tough decisions are made to resolve the conflict.      more

Analysis: PA knows must keep talking even if freeze ends
Khaled Abu Toameh,    Jerusalem Post,    Sept. 15, 2010
analysis concludes that the Palestinian Authority must remain in the direct talks even if the settlement freeze ends      more

Statements Examining Israeli Settlements

Roll of Shame
  • American funders of illegal Israeli settlements (Nov. 16, 2011)

  • www.SettlementsinPalestine.org Report on 2009 American Non-Profit Funding of Settlements. From 2002 through 2009 (the last year complete returns are available), 183 non-profit organizations (129 private foundations, 54 corporations) in the United States raised and spent approximately $274,000,000 in direct support of the Israeli settlement enterprise. Even in the recession yesr of 2009 the amount was just over $35 million.

    Develops a Table showing the web of foundations donating tax-exempt funds in 2009, and the non-profit agencies spending the money on settlements. Includes six charts detailing deficiencies in IRS form-990s submitted by the foundations and agencies that may be in violation of IRS rules.

  • Tax-Exempt Funds Aid Settlements in West Bank. A NY Times extensive review of the funding of the settlement enterprise. The article pointed out that the recipients of the funding are shrouded in secrecy, the purpose of the funding is obscured by deception, the lack of transparency is protected by lax enforcement by the Internal Revenue Service, and the consequences of the funding subverts America's policy and goals in the region. (July 5, 2010)

  • Can Tax-Free Donations Fund Settlements?. A Forward article by Josh Nathan-Kazis discusses claim raised by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee that funding settlement activities is contrary to American foreign policy and therefore should not be allowed to have tax-exempt status. Legal experts, according to The articlesays legal experts are divided. (Jan. 6, 2010)

  • The US cash behind extremist settlers. A Guardian article by Andrew Kadi and Aaron Levitt says that The Hebron Fund is raising vast sums for Israeli settlements that violate the Geneva convention, with little scrutiny. (Dec. 8, 2009)

  • Tax-exempt contribution support Israeli settlements. A Washington Post article by David Ignatius. (March 26, 2009)


NGO and U.N. Reports
  • "BARACK OBAMA LOSESTHE BATTLE FOR A SETTLEMENT FREEZE" Human Rights Watch report: "Separate and Unequal." Israeli policies in the West Bank harshly discriminate against Palestinian residents, depriving them of basic necessities while providing lavish amenities for Jewish settlements, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The report identifies discriminatory practices that have no legitimate security or other justification and calls on Israel, in addition to abiding by its international legal obligation to withdraw the settlements, to end these violations of Palestinians' rights. December 19, 2010.

  • "BARACK OBAMA LOSESTHE BATTLE FOR A SETTLEMENT FREEZE" From The Foundation for Middle East Peace series: "Report on Israeli Settlement in the occupied Territories." September-October 2010.

  • "MOVING BEYOND A SETTLEMENT FREEZE— THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION LOOKS FOR A NEW COURSE" From The Foundation for Middle East Peace series: "Report on Israeli Settlement in the occupied Territories." July-August 2010.

  • "By Hook and by Crook: Israeli Settlement Policy in the West Bank" B'Tselem updated their 2002 report, "Land Grab: Israel's Settlement Policy in the West Bank." Reports that 42% of the West Bank land is controlled by over 200 settlements and several East Jerusalem neighborhoods, and a large fraction of that land is privately owned by Palestinians and taken by hook and by crook. Reports concludes, "Given the illegality of the settlements from the outset, and in light of the ensuing violations of human rights, B’Tselem again demands that the government of Israel remove all the settlements. This must be done in a manner that respects the settlers’ human rights, including payment of compensation." July 2010.

  • "Historical Political and Economic Impact of Jewish Settlements in the Occupied Territories" Macro Center for Political Economics in Israel report outlines the history of the settlements and analyzes the value of the settlement buildings and inftrastructure, their budgets and demographics. July 2009.

  • The Settlements from a European Perspective Macro Center for Political Economics in Israel report outlines the challenges the settlements poss to European interests. June 2009.

  • Settlement Database and Suitability Assessment from the Foundation for Middle East Peace. a database on the settlements and the suitability of the housing units for Palestinian use in the event of evacuation by Israel. The database has a wealth of information about all the settlements. February 2010.

  • Are the Settlements Illegal? by Nicholas Rostow. Summary of legal arguments made to justify and opposethe settlements. Implies that the arguments are equal in weight and are a source of serious dispute in the international legal community. [But article fails to mention that the international legal community overwhelmingly has concluded that settlements are illegal under international law.] Concludes from his analysis that since legality is disputed, the United States, as a matter of policy, should not press the issue. March-April 2010.

  • Behind the Settlements An important background article on settlements by Daniel Kurtzer, former United States ambassador to Israel, recounts the Talya Sasson report that the outposts constitute wholesale vbiolations of Israeli law. Notes that despite assurances by the Israeli government to provide a timetable for the dismantling of outposts, one was never given. Also notes that in 2009 Israel failed to deliver promised data to determine the built up areas of settlements because the data showed "systematic violations of Israeli laws and regulations." March-April 2010.

  • The Settlements Moratorium: A Three-Month Accounting Report by Shalom Achshav (Israeli Peace Now) and American for Peace Now gives both good and bad marks to the Israeli government's fidelity to the letter and spirit of the 10-month moritorium. Some settlement planning and construction has slowed down, but a constant stream of Israeli actions "call into question" the good-faith commitment of Israel to the moratorium and to peace negotiations. March 1, 2010.

  • Israel and the Occupied Palestinian territory: life remains hard for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank Report by the International Committee of the Red Cross which observed that "Many Palestinians experienced violence at the hands of settlers. The fear of being attacked kept many farmers awaya from their land, particularly in areas surrounding settlements...Moreover, settlers have chopped down, burnt or uprooted about 10,000 olive trees over the past three years, depriving Palestinian landowners of much-need income." Feb. 16, 2010.

  • ISRAEL’S RELIGIOUS RIGHT AND THE QUESTION OF SETTLEMENTS by the International Crisis Group. Report N°89. 20 July 2009.

  • THE HUMANITARIAN MONITOR, NOVEMBER 2009 by the Foundation for Middle East Peace . The leading article by Geoffrey Aronson is "Netanyahu Pledges to Restrain Settlement Expansion--Does it Matter?"

  • Report on Israeli Settlement in the Occupied Territories by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs occupied Palestinian territory. Among the items described are the incidents of violence settlers have directed against Palestinians, and the expulsion of Palestinians in East Jerusalem.

  • "Conclusions on the Middle East Peace Process," statement by the Council of the European Union Expresses deep concern "about the situtation in East Jerusalem." Reaffirmes that the European Union does not recognize the annexation of East Jerusalem, and "reiterates that settlements, the separation barrier where built on occupied land, demolition of homes and evictions are illegal under international law, constitue an obstacle to peace and threaten to make a two-state solution impossible." Nov. 8, 2009.

  • ISRAELI SETTLER VIOLENCE AND THE EVACUATION OF OUTPOSTS Scroll through reports summaries (listed chronologically). Nov. 16, 2009.


Books

February 20, 2010 The settlement enterprise has been the subject of entire books as well as sections of books. Together, they provide essential reference material for knowing the history of the settlements, their impact on Palestinians, the motivations of both the settlers and the Israeli leadership who support it, and the consequences on Israeli society. The following books relate to the settlement project.      click here .


Statements Supporting Settlements
Although the settlements pose a security threat to the United States (by making it impossible to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the basis of a two-state solution), and thereby undermine our country's abililty to advance its interests in the region, there are Americans who nevertheless support the settlement enterprise. Here are some defenders of Israeli settlements.
  • "Israeli settlements are more than legitimate" a LA Times Op-Ed by CAMERA Director Eric Rozenman, argues that international law not only supports Israeli settlement in the occupied Palestinian Territory, but encourages it. Of the 192 members of the United Nations, the only one that accepts his argument is Israel, the "belligerent occupier" itself. (Dec. 11, 2009)

  • Ex-Alaskan Governor and 2008 Republican Vice-Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin said in an interview with Barbara Walters broadcast on November 17, 2009:
    "I disagree with the Obama administration on that. I believe that the Jewish settlements should be allowed to be expanded upon, because that population of Israel is, is going to grow. More and more Jewish people will be flocking to Israel in the days and weeks and months ahead. And I don't think that the Obama administration has any right to tell Israel that the Jewish settlements cannot expand."
    http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Palin/sarah-palin-talks-barbara-walters-afghanistan-policy-economy/story?id=9109226 (from 2:10 to 2:35) (Nov. 2009)

  • "Settlements or Suburbs?" by Sheila Lampert says that settlements are really subrubs that act as a buffer zone for the rest of Israel. The result of establishing subrubs throughout the West Bank is that Mandated Palestine was converted into an Apartheid situation, in which the land has an Israeli component and a Palestinian component that are separated and disconnected from each other. (Nov. 4, 2009)


Contact: Michael Several or Jeff Warner at         info@SettlementsinPalestine.org