How do those Israeli settlements work anyway?

How the Israeli "settlements" gradually take over more and more Palestinian land in the occupied territory.





A settlement is started: a trailer gets put in
on a hilltop



Many of the Israeli settlements in the occupied territory start out as small "camps" on the top of a hill somewhere in the West Bank. At first, many are just a collection of a half dozen "trailers" put on the top of a hill. Religious settlers move in. Often a family or two - often from America - real religious nuts (even most Israelis would agree). They actually believe that God gave Israel to the Jews and that the Palestinians have no right to be there. 

Settlers drive Palestinians off  land



Of course, the Palestinians protest. This is land that they have cultivated for generations - pasturing their sheep or goats, or planting and picked olive trees for years. But the settlers drive them off, often using guns and sticks.



Settlers are protected by IDF 



The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) is supposed to ensure law and order. In fact, the settlers are protected by the IDF.The IDF establishes a "security perimeter" around the settlement, from which Palestinians are barred. They are not allowed to pasture or pick olives. If they do so they are arrested. There is military rule in the Occupied West Bank. Palestinians have no legal rights. They are frequently beaten and held for up to 6 months without charges.

Olive trees are torn up



In the "security perimiter" olive trees are often bulldozed and animals are killed by settlers. There are many videos available on youtube which show the settlers attacking shepherds trying to pasture their goats or sheep. I have also seen olive trees that have been cut down. The settlers' objective is to drive the Palestinians away.

 

 



Idf soldier in Palestinian house

Palestinians often try to sneak onto the land, sometimes picking their olive trees at night. They risk arrest if captured by the IDF. If they do manage to pick olives, IDF forces can (and do) come to their houses and ransack the place and destroy any crops gathered.



The Palestinian peasants gradually give up. Resistance is too costly.



Shepherd tends his flock outside settlement



After 2 years, Israel declares the land "abandoned" under an old Ottoman law. The land can then be expropriated - and then sold to  the settlement. The settlement then expands - new houses, perhaps a school. A new "security perimeter" is established. The settlement gradually grows. A road is bulldozed in, and a school is built. 

The cycle continues. More Palestinian land is gradually expropriated.

All illegal under international law. All illegal according to Canada.

But Canada does nothing about it. Mr. Harper is Israel's "best friend". Even Mr. Ignatieff claims he is in favour of a 2 state solution, but nobody lifts a finger to stop the Israelis from taking over more and more of Palestinian land. As Israeli settlers take over more and more land, a 2 state solution becomes less and less possible.