In the past few years, extremist settler outposts have rapidly expanded across the occupied West Bank, seizing land and threatening Palestinian communities. According to new BBC analysis, there are currently at least 196 of these illegal outposts, with 29 established just last year—a record number. Despite being illegal under both Israeli and international law, these outposts continue to proliferate, often with financial and material support from organizations tied to the Israeli government.
One such outpost was established near the home of Ayesha Shtayyeh, a Palestinian grandmother who says she was forced to leave her home of 50 years after a settler pointed a gun at her and threatened her life. Ayesha’s story is just one of many that highlight the increasing violence and intimidation linked to these outposts, which experts say are able to seize large areas of land more rapidly than officially recognized settlements.
Documents obtained by the BBC reveal that influential organizations, such as the World Zionist Organization and Amana, have provided land and loans to support the establishment of these outposts. This support has enabled settlers like Moshe Sharvit, who has been sanctioned by the UK and US for his actions, to gain control over vast areas of land, often at the expense of local Palestinian communities.
The rapid expansion of these outposts, coupled with a rise in settler violence, has created a climate of fear and displacement among Palestinians in the West Bank. Despite international calls for Israel to halt settlement activity, there is little evidence that the Israeli government is taking action to prevent the growth of these illegal outposts.
This BBC investigation sheds light on the complex and often dangerous dynamics at play in the West Bank, as extremist settlers continue to push the boundaries, both literally and figuratively, in their efforts to control more land.