Who are the ‘Hilltop Girls’ behind Israel’s ‘soft settlement’ strategy?
Summary
A group of young Israeli women known as the "Hilltop Girls" live in simple tents on occupied West Bank land. They focus on daily life activities to quietly expand Israeli settlements on private Palestinian land, with support from the Israeli state.Key Facts
- The Hilltop Girls are part of a movement that began with the Hilltop Youth in 1998, aimed at settling West Bank hilltops.
- Unlike more violent settlers, these women avoid direct attacks and instead use normal social activities to gain acceptance.
- They use social media to promote a peaceful image, showing themselves cooking and doing chores.
- Their goal is to expand Israeli territory to include much of the Middle East, including parts of neighboring countries.
- Key outposts like Maoz Esther and Or Ahuvia have grown from small youth camps to larger family settlements.
- Israeli authorities sometimes dismantle these outposts, but structures are quickly rebuilt, with support from the state and military.
- The Israeli government provides water, electricity, roads, and about $40 million in subsidies to the settlers.
- New laws have been proposed and passed to protect land purchases by Jews in the West Bank, supported by far-right politicians.
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