Report on Israeli Settlement in the Occupied Territories

Any informed assessment of the future direction of events in the West Bank must take as its point of departure a review of the main elements of current Israeli and Palestinian policies.

Hopes for peace based on Mahmoud Abbas’ commitment to non-violence, an informal truce, and Ariel Sharon’s withdrawal from Gaza are fading fast, threatening a return to the old cycle of violence and revenge.

Ariel mayor Ron Nachman wants “to strength the Jewish character of the city,” according to a September 9, 2005 article in the Ma’ariv supplement. The settlement was established in 1978 and enjoys a growing population of 18,000.

Opponents of the separation barrier have filed almost 90 petitions before Israel’s High Court of Justice since the government approved construction in June 2002.

The map "Compromising Palestinian Jerusalem" portrays the emerging territorial reality of critical parts of East Jerusalem and its immediate West Bank hinterland. The following points should be noted: