Israeli settlement building in the occupied West Bank is at a peak, with hundreds of thousands of people settled in an expanding network of communities, roads and outposts.
There are at least 148 Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and 15 more in the occupied East Jerusalem, according to the figures cited by Aaj News from Peace Now. Combined, they are home to approximately 750,000 Israeli settlers, some 511,100 of whom reside in the West Bank and 233,600 in East Jerusalem (2024 data).
The number of unauthorised settler outposts has also increased to over 400. Many start out as informal communities (or “informal settlements”), meaning they are not legally recognised under Israeli law, but are instead legalised or incorporated into existing settlements.
Settlement construction continued to increase significantly in 2025. That year, in existing settlements in the West Bank, almost 28,000 housing units were pushed ahead, the highest number so far, according to Peace Now. Freedom House also notes that, according to Peace Now, 54 new settlements received formal approval over the course of the year.
East of Jerusalem, in the area known as E1, construction is one of the most controversial. A territorial link between Maale Adumim and Jerusalem would be enhanced with expansion plans there, which would cross Palestinian territories and further partition the West Bank. More than 3,000 housing units linked to the project were approved by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich in August 2025 and he stated that the action would “undermine the prospect of a Palestinian state.
Along with the growth of settlements, there has been an increase in the violence against the Palestinians. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) data included in the report indicated 1,836 settler attacks on human life or property in 2025, which is more than double the 852 reported in 2022.
This trend has continued in 2026. In the first seven months of this year, OCHA has documented 1,418 of these attacks, and the year is projected to exceed 2025’s record 1,418.
Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem are considered illegal under international law by the United Nations and most countries. Israel challenges this and considers the region to be contested.
The expansion has raised international concern over the potential to create a contiguous Palestinian state as critics argue the expanding settlement network, land appropriation and violence is making this increasingly difficult.
