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Thousands Move to Jewish Settlements This Year
JERUSALEM (Reuters) -
The Jewish settler population grew by
more than 5,000 in the first half of 2003, despite U.S.-backed
peace moves requiring Israel to halt construction in Jewish
settlements, Israel said on Thursday.
Palestinians seek an independent state on the West Bank and
Gaza Strip (news - web sites) that Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war and
the peace plan calls on Israel to dismantle unauthorized
settler outposts and stop expansion of established settlements
there.
The number of new settlers in the first half of 2003 showed
a constant rate of population growth in the settlements that
the international community says are illegal; a statement
Israel disputes.
Some 5,000 newcomers moved to the settlements in the second
half of 2001 and in first half of 2002, while some 7,200 moved
there in the second half of 2002, the Interior Ministry said.
The ministry said 5,415 Israelis had moved to the
settlements since January, with the ultra-Orthodox West Bank
settlement of Beitar Illit seeing the largest jump of more than
1,000 newcomers.
Betzalel Kahn, a Beitar Illit spokesman, said the draw for
the ultra-Orthodox community was the cheap housing close to
Jerusalem and not a bid to strengthen Israel's hold on the West
Bank.
Other West Bank settlements that saw jumps in their
population were the ultra-Orthodox Modein Ilit and Maaleh
Adumim, the settlement city outside Jerusalem, the Interior
Ministry said, putting the total settler population at 231,443.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites) has pledged to uproot
the unauthorized hilltop outposts and indicated he would
consider dismantling some established settlements in return for
peace.
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