West Bank land: Hundreds of Palestine supporters protest Israeli real estate event at New Jersey synagogue

[Mosby]

3. There are many different groups living in the settlements

Last edited Thu Mar 14, 2024, 03:08 PM - Edit history (1)

Including Arabs and Palestinians.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Little noticed amid the furor over one of Israel's most contentious policies, a small but growing number of Arabs are moving into Jewish settlements on occupied land in East Jerusalem, drawn by cheaper rent and better services.

For decades, Israel has encouraged Jews to settle in East Jerusalem, changing the population balance, provoking Palestinian anger and drawing international condemnation.

But in one such settlement, around Mount Scopus where the Hebrew University is based and many Palestinians study, about 16 percent of residents are either Arab citizens of Israel or Palestinians, according to Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics.

"Really it's not a matter of ideology," said Rawya Mazal, an Israeli Arab realtor who sells or lets properties to Palestinian families in a nearby settlement at French Hill. "It's about convenience, living close to campus or making an investment."

https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN0JL0D6/

The settlements are a lot more diverse that people realize, families are just looking for housing they can afford.