Who is behind settler violence in the occupied West Bank?
Summary
Violent Israeli settler groups in the West Bank are increasing attacks on Palestinians and their property. These groups want to expand settlements and push Palestinians off the land, supported by religious and nationalist beliefs.Key Facts
- Settler groups aim to expand Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law.
- These groups promote the removal of Palestinians and control over the land they call “Judea and Samaria.”
- The Hilltop Youth is a well-known settler group made up mostly of young Jewish people living in hilltop outposts.
- The group began after a 1998 speech by former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon encouraging settlers to take control of hilltops to expand lands.
- Hilltop Youth members follow strict religious and nationalist ideas and have a distinctive religious appearance like sidelocks and large kippahs (yarmulkes).
- The groups have no single leader but include several movements and religious authorities guiding their actions.
- Settlement outposts often serve as bases for attacks on Palestinians.
- These groups benefit from political and legal environments that support settlement growth.
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