Al Jazeera maps spread of illegal Israeli settlements in occupied West Bank
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Al Jazeera published an animated map showing the spread of illegal Israeli settlements and outposts across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. The visual explainer documents 163 settlements housing about 750,000 Israelis, alongside more than 400 unofficial outposts. The map also tracks settler pogroms, which are at their highest levels on record.
Key Facts
- Peace Now counts at least 148 illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and 15 in occupied East Jerusalem, totaling 163.
- These 163 settlements housed 744,700 Israeli settlers by 2024: 511,100 in the West Bank and 233,600 in East Jerusalem.
- More than 400 illegal outposts exist beyond the officially recognized settlements, often absorbed into recognized settlements over time.
- In 2025 alone, nearly 28,000 housing units were advanced within existing West Bank settlements.
- The International Court of Justice affirmed the illegality of settlements in a July 2024 advisory opinion.
Settlement Expansion
Settlements predate Israel's creation in 1948, but their number and scale expanded dramatically after Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967. Over six decades, the settlement network grew from scattered hilltop outposts into a sprawling system of settlements, roads, and highways linking them to each other and to Israel. Peace Now reports at least 148 illegal settlements in the West Bank and 15 in East Jerusalem, home to roughly 750,000 Israelis—about 10 percent of Israel's Jewish population. By 2024, the 163 settlements housed 744,700 settlers: 511,100 in the West Bank and 233,600 in East Jerusalem. In 2025, nearly 28,000 housing units were advanced within existing West Bank settlements, far exceeding growth from new settlements or outposts.
Outposts and Legal Status
Settlements are illegal under international law because they violate the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits an occupying power from transferring its population to occupied territory. The UN Security Council, the International Court of Justice, and the International Committee of the Red Cross have affirmed this position, most recently in the ICJ's July 2024 advisory opinion. Under Israeli law, settlements are legally sanctioned, planned, funded, and built with direct government approval, ranging from small rural communities to large towns like Ariel and Maale Adumim. Outposts differ: they are established without official government authorization, yet more than 400 now exist and are often absorbed into recognized settlements over time.
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