Israeli government population in West Bank settlements exceeds 450,000 residents

More than 529,000 Israeli settlers now live in the West Bank, according to figures from January 2023. The West Bank is Palestinian territory that Israel captured in the 1967 war. Israel has not made it part of its own country, but Israeli citizens have built communities there. There are 144 official settlements and at least 196 smaller outposts that the Israeli government has not approved. All of these are in Area C, which covers 60% of the West Bank and is under Israeli control. A further 246,000 Jewish residents live in East Jerusalem. Many countries consider the settlements illegal under international law, and their continued growth has been a major obstacle in peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians.