Settler Outposts Control Over 1 Million Dunams in West Bank
Translated & summarized from Arab48 by baba
Settler outposts in the West Bank control over 1 million dunams, with 185 new outposts established between 2023 and 2025. Settler violence and access restrictions have displaced 118 Palestinian pastoral communities since 2023. Israeli control now extends to 42% of the West Bank, while in Gaza, only 3% of agricultural land remains accessible and undamaged. The report calls for sustainable pasture management and international cooperation to protect Palestinian natural resources.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Settler outposts control 1.07 million dunams in the West Bank, representing 18% of its area.
- 185 new settlement outposts were established in the West Bank between 2023 and 2025.
- Settler violence and access restrictions have displaced 118 Palestinian pastoral communities since 2023.
- Israeli control extends to 42% of the West Bank, including 71% of Area C.
- In Gaza, only 3% of agricultural land was accessible and undamaged as of June 24, 2026.
- The report calls for sustainable pasture management and international cooperation.
A joint statement by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics and the Environmental Quality Authority revealed that settler outposts in the West Bank now control approximately 1.07 million dunams, equivalent to about 18% of the West Bank's area. Between 2023 and 2025, 185 new settlement outposts were established, including 130 pastoral and hilltop outposts. In 2025 alone, an additional 300,000 dunams were seized by settlers through these outposts.
The statement, released on Arab Environment Day, highlighted that settler violence and restrictions on access to pastures and water sources have led to the displacement of 118 Palestinian pastoral communities between 2023 and 2025. The West Bank has 231 pastoral outposts among approximately 400 total settlement outposts, with the settler population reaching around 790,000 by the end of July 2026.
Israeli control extends to 42% of the West Bank, 71% of Area C, and 91% of the Palestinian Jordan Valley. Military orders have allocated 16,200 dunams for settler grazing, and 70 agricultural and pastoral outposts have been legalized. In 2024, Israeli authorities issued orders to seize 1,073 dunams, expropriate 803 dunams, and declare nearly 24,597 dunams as state land, in addition to seizing about 20,000 dunams through natural reserve boundary changes.
The loss of pastures and restricted access increase herders' reliance on purchased fodder, raising livestock costs and threatening the livelihoods of pastoral families. In Gaza, only 4,480 dunams of agricultural land, about 3% of the total, were accessible and undamaged as of June 24, 2026, according to UN assessments. This situation limits agricultural production, fodder availability, and livestock preservation, exacerbating challenges to livelihoods and food security.
The statement emphasized the importance of protecting pastures and managing them sustainably, citing national legal frameworks. It called for enhanced coordination among national, international, and regional institutions to share expertise, support rehabilitation of damaged areas, and protect biodiversity and natural habitats to preserve Palestinian natural resources and bolster the resilience and food security of pastoral communities.
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