Mapping the Israeli Settlement Project in the West Bank: History and Institutions

الملخص

This article examines the various components of the Israeli settlement project in the West Bank, as well as the Israeli agencies and institutions that plan, implement, and support it. It also addresses the status of settlement activity under international law. It proceeds from the premise that the settlement project constitutes an integrated structure engaged in a conflictual relationship with Palestinian space, governed by a zero-sum logic. The study begins with a historical overview of the development of settlements in the West Bank. It outlines the project’s structural components, followed by an analysis of the four Israeli bodies that administer the expansion of settlement and shape its legal and planning frameworks. Finally, it considers the position of international law regarding Israeli settlements.