Settler Farms Use Livestock to Expand Control Over West Bank Land
A new form of Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, known as settler farms or pastoral outposts, is increasingly using livestock to assert control over Palestinian land. Unlike traditional settlements that require extensive planning and construction, these farms can begin with a simple tent or caravan, a pen, and a flock of sheep or herd of cattle. They are becoming prominent in areas like the Jordan Valley and Masafer Yatta, where their proponents claim they are agricultural activities, while monitoring groups argue they are a strategy to expand territorial control.
These pastoral outposts are significantly impacting Palestinian communities, particularly those reliant on herding and agriculture. The expansion of grazing areas and the establishment of associated infrastructure, such as roads and barriers, restrict Palestinian access to pastures, water sources, and agricultural lands. This forces herders to buy more feed, reduce their livestock, or seek alternative income, sometimes leading to displacement. Organizations like Peace Now and Kerem Navot estimate that over 100 such outposts control at least 786,000 dunams, approximately 14% of the West Bank's area, with a significant number established since December 2022.
The phenomenon is not confined to Area C, traditionally a focus of settlement expansion. At least 21 outposts have been documented in Area B in the last two and a half years, areas where the Palestinian Authority has civil control but Israel retains security authority. The establishment of these outposts, along with new roads and infrastructure funded by the Israeli government, is seen by some as a form of "de facto annexation," gradually altering the reality on the ground without a single declaration.
Monitoring groups report a surge in new outposts and farms, with 231 established since December 2022, allegedly controlling nearly 20% of the West Bank. These actions are linked to the displacement of over 120 Palestinian communities, many of them Bedouin and herding populations. The Israeli government has allocated significant funds, including 50 million shekels in March 2026, for the "security components" of nascent settlements, which Peace Now claims are used to fund these pastoral farms, including vehicles and infrastructure.
The significance of these pastoral farms lies not just in their numbers but in their evolving nature. They are transitioning from temporary setups to more permanent structures with access roads and infrastructure, and some are undergoing regularization processes. This trend raises questions about the effective control and use of vast tracts of West Bank land, with critics viewing it as a deliberate strategy to dispossess Palestinian herders and expand Israeli control, while supporters maintain it is legitimate agricultural and settlement activity.
