Life Under
Occupation: Settlements,
Checkpoints & Blockade

Israeli settlements are civilian colonies built by Israel on occupied Palestinian territory in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Under international law, these settlements are unequivocally illegal. The Geneva Convention Article 49 states: “The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.”

Settlement Growth (1967–2025)

Year	Settlers in West Bank (excl. East Jerusalem)
1972	1,500
1983	22,800
1993	110,000
2000	190,000
2010	310,000
2023	500,000+
2025	700,000+ (incl. East Jerusalem)

Types of Settlements

• Urban Settlements — Large cities like Ma’ale Adumim (40,000+ people), Modi’in Illit (70,000+), and Ariel — built on confiscated Palestinian land.
• Suburban Settlements — Commuter towns near Jerusalem and Tel Aviv with subsidized housing.
• Outposts — Small, even under Israeli law unauthorized settlements, often more radical than official ones.

Impact on Palestinians

Settler Violence

Settler violence against Palestinians has become systematic and largely unpunished. The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) documents 400+ incidents annually — including physical attacks, arson of homes and mosques, and destruction of agricultural land. Over 95% of cases result in no prosecution, creating a climate of impunity that emboldens further violence.

International Legal Findings

In July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a historic advisory opinion declaring Israel’s occupation and settlement enterprise illegal. The court ruled that Israel must evacuate all settlements, dismantle the wall, and pay reparations to Palestinians. The UN Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016) had already declared settlements a “flagrant violation of international law.”

The Israeli military controls nearly every aspect of Palestinian movement through a dense network of checkpoints, walls, and permit systems. This infrastructure fragments the West Bank into isolated enclaves and makes daily life — school, work, hospital visits, family gatherings — an exhausting and humiliating ordeal.

Types of Movement Restrictions

• Permanent Checkpoints — 100+ IDF-operated checkpoints across the West Bank.
• Flying Checkpoints — 500+ temporary random checkpoints erected monthly.
• Terminal Checkpoints — Large facilities (Qalandiya, Bethlehem) processing thousands daily.
• Gate Systems — Agricultural gates controlling access to farmlands.
• Roadblocks & Trenches — Physical obstacles preventing vehicle access.

The Separation Wall

In 2004, the ICJ declared the wall illegal, ruling that Israel must dismantle it and compensate Palestinians for the damage. Israel ignored the ruling. The wall cuts deep into Palestinian territory, isolating villages from their agricultural lands and separating families.

The Permit System

Israel controls Palestinian movement through a complex permit system:

• Work Permits — 100,000+ Palestinians work in Israel but must pass daily checkpoints (2–3 hour waits).
• Medical Permits — Patients needing treatment outside Gaza/West Bank must obtain permits — rejections are common, and delays have caused documented deaths.
• Jerusalem Access — West Bank Palestinians need special permits to enter East Jerusalem, including for prayer at Al-Aqsa.
• Gaza Exit — Only rare medical, business, or exceptional permits granted.

Case Study: Jayyous Village

The village of Jayyous (near Qalqilya) illustrates the wall’s devastating impact. The wall cut off 70% of the village’s agricultural land, including 1,000+ olive trees. Farmers must pass through 3 gates that open only at specific hours to reach their own fields. The village’s economy has been decimated, and dozens of families have been forced to abandon farming.

Since 2007, the Gaza Strip has been under a complete Israeli-Egyptian blockade that human rights organizations describe as an “open-air prison”. Israel controls Gaza’s land borders, airspace, and sea access — effectively trapping 2.3 million people in one of the most densely populated areas on Earth.

Blockade Timeline

• 2005 “Disengagement”: Israel removes 8,000 settlers from Gaza but retains full control of borders, airspace, and sea.
• 2006 Hamas Election Victory: Free and fair elections won by Hamas; US/EU/Israel reject results.
• 2007 Complete Blockade: Hamas takes control of Gaza; Israel imposes total closure — land, sea, and air.
• 2010 Mavi Marmara: Israeli commandos kill 9 Turkish activists aboard an aid flotilla.
• 2023 Total Siege: After October 7, Israel imposes complete siege — no food, water, fuel, or electricity.

Living Conditions (Pre-2023)

Wars on Gaza

Operation	Year	Palestinians Killed	Children Killed
Cast Lead	2008–09	1,391	344
Pillar of Defense	2012	174	33
Protective Edge	2014	2,251	551
May Conflict	2021	256	66
Shield & Arrow	2022	49	17
2023–2025 War	2023+	50,000+	17,000+

2023–2025 War: Ongoing Catastrophe

The current war has devastated Gaza on an unprecedented scale. 50,000+ Palestinians killed (17,000+ children), 100,000+ injured, and 90% of the population displaced. Over 70% of all buildings have been damaged or destroyed, all 12 universities demolished, and 31 of 36 hospitals rendered non-functional. The ICJ has found “plausible” risk of genocide, and the ICC has issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders.

The occupation has produced a systematic human rights crisis documented by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, B’Tselem, and the United Nations. In 2021–2022, both Amnesty and HRW issued landmark reports concluding that Israel’s treatment of Palestinians constitutes apartheid — a crime against humanity under international law.

Children in Military Detention

Palestinian children (aged 12–17) are tried in Israeli military courts — the only country in the world that systematically prosecutes children in this manner. 500–700 children are detained annually. Most are arrested in night raids, blindfolded, zip-tied, and interrogated in Hebrew without a guardian present. The conviction rate exceeds 95%, largely based on coerced confessions.

Home Demolitions

Israel demolishes Palestinian homes under two pretexts: “punitive demolitions” (punishing families of suspected attackers) and “administrative demolitions” (lack of permits). Families receive as little as 15 minutes notice before bulldozers arrive. No compensation is provided.

Administrative Detention

Israel holds 1,000+ Palestinians in administrative detention — imprisonment without trial, without charge, and without access to the evidence against them. A military commander can order detention for 6 months, renewable indefinitely. Some prisoners have been held for years without ever seeing a courtroom. Hunger strikes are the most common form of resistance.

Journalists Under Fire

Palestine has become the most dangerous place in the world for journalists. During the 2023–2025 Gaza war, 150+ journalists have been killed — the highest death toll in any conflict since the Committee to Protect Journalists began tracking in 1992. Shireen Abu Akleh, the iconic Al Jazeera journalist, was killed by Israeli forces in 2022 — Israel admitted responsibility only after a year of denial.

Apartheid Findings

• 2021 Human Rights Watch — “A Threshold Crossed”: Israel’s treatment of Palestinians amounts to apartheid and persecution.
• 2021 B’Tselem (Israeli org) — “A regime of Jewish supremacy from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea: This is apartheid.”
• 2022 Amnesty International — “Israel’s cruel system of domination constitutes apartheid.”
• 2024 UN Special Rapporteurs — Consistent findings of apartheid and systematic human rights violations.