The Settlement Map

The Settlement Map

Map #4

The Israeli government headed by the Labor Party asserted the principle of not evacuating Israeli settlements in the territories during the interim stages. Indeed, the settlement of Netzarim was left intact as part of the Oslo 1 agreement, and the road leading to it remained under IDF control. Similarly, the orchards of Vered Yericho determined the boundary of the autonomy in Jericho. This principle remained in force in the Oslo 2 agreement, under which no settlement was evacuated. The current government has continued to adhere to this principle, retaining full control of the Jewish Quarter in Hebron. The principle of non-evacuation of settlements will continue to guide Israeli policy during the additional withdrawals that will complete the interim agreement. Therefore, the Settlement Map (Map #4) displays all existing settlement areas in green. These areas include land whose legal status can be divided into several categories: land belonging to the Israel Lands Authority, lands belonging to the Jewish National Fund, lands that have been declared appointed or expropriated by the State of Israel for settlement and security purposes, and land to which the state claims title. Likewise, the settlement areas contain land between adjacent settlements in order to create settlement clusters with a protected space.

The existence and security of the Israeli settlements requires full control of the "life arteries" — the roads leading to the settlements and along the infrastructure lines (water, electricity, sewage, and communications), and these too are marked on the map in double green lines. The width of the arteries serving the settlements are estimated at about 0.5 kilometers. Four of these roads also serve as strategic arteries in times of emergency, so their width is four kilometers.

The Settlement Map shows four large settlement blocs and three other smaller blocs that create a clear continuum of Jewish land:

Greater Jerusalem: This includes Gush Etzion, the city of Ma’aleh Adumim, the local authorities of Givat Zeev, Betar Ilit, Efrat, and Har-Adar, and additional rural settlements belonging to the Benjamin regional council. There are a total of 20 settlements in Greater Jerusalem, containing a total population of 52,000.

West Samaria: This includes the local authorities of Ariel, Emmanuel, Karnei Shomron, Kedumim, Elkana, Oranit, Alfei Menashe, and additional rural settlements belonging to the Samaria Regional Council. West Samaria contains a total of 18 settlements, with a total population of 44,000.

West Benjamin: This includes the local authorities of Kiryat Sefer and Beit Arieh, and additional rural settlements belonging to the Benjamin Regional Council. There are a total of 12 settlements in West Benjamin, with a total population of 14,000.

The Jordan Valley and Judean Desert: This includes the Ma’aleh Efrayim local authority, and additional settlements belonging to the Jordan Valley, Megilot, Benjamin, and South Mt. Hebron Regional Councils. It consists of a total of 44 settlements with a total population of 17,000.

The Richan-Dotan Bloc: This lies in northern Samaria adjacent to the Green Line (by Wadi ‘Ara) and includes five settlements with a total population of 1,500.

The ‘Einav-Sal’it Bloc: This lies in northwest Samaria adjacent to the Green Line (near Netania) and includes four settlements with a population of 2,000.

The Eshkolot-Shim’a Bloc: This lies in southern Judea next to the Green Line (near Beer Sheva and ‘Arad) and includes five settlements with a population of 1,000.

Aside from these blocs there are 16 isolated settlements that are not included in typical settlement blocs, with a total population of 13,000. The largest of these are Hebron-Kiryat Arba (population 5,750) and Beit El (population 3,400).

Demographic data on the Israeli and Palestinian populations shows that there are two districts (the Jordan Valley and Judean Desert, and the southern Judean Mountains) in which there is already a Jewish majority today. There are three additional districts (Greater Jerusalem, West Samaria, West Benjamin) in which there no Jewish majority as yet, but in which the current settlement growth rate will allow the creation of a Jewish majority within a few years. These three districts are located in areas required by Israel for other reasons (current security and the preservation of the Yarkon-Tanninim Aquifer). On the other hand, in northern Samaria Jews are a small minority, but the areas are required by Israel for defense and/or for ground water.