The population of Israeli settlers in the West Bank grew nearly 3% in 2023, according to a new report based on population statistics from the government.
The report, released Sunday by the pro-settler group WestBankJewishPopulationStats.com, found the settler population jumped to 517,407 as of Dec. 31, from 502,991 a year earlier.
The settler population has grown over 15% in the last five years, the report says. Last year, it passed the half-million mark, a major threshold.
This year’s report predicts “accelerated growth” in the coming years, claiming the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, which triggered the current war in Gaza, persuaded many Israelis who were formerly opposed to settlement-building to change positions.
“Serious cracks have indeed developed in the wall of opposition to Jewish settlement of the West Bank,” it says.
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Sunday, February 11, 2024
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