Israeli Settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip

Israeli settlements on the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip are a frequent subject of news reports. Detailed information involving the strategic designs and specific locations of these settlements is, however, often difficult to find. This article attempts to supply such information by reviewing the settlement policies of both the Labour and Likud governments since the territories were occupied in the 1967 war, with the aid of illustrative maps. An assessment is also made of the damage done to Arab property through confiscation of land and seizure of water sources upon which the land is dependent.

Ibrahim Matar is a Palestinian economist who was formerly head of the Department of Business and Economics, Bethlehem University.