Settler violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is on the rise. Since the beginning of 2026, settlers have killed at least 10 Palestinians and injured 385 others across the West Bank. Various human rights organisations across the world have raised concerns against the violence by the settler groups, accusing the Israeli security forces of abetting them.Settlers are Israel’s Jewish citizens who live in territories captured by Israel in 1967, primarily the West Bank (referred to by its biblical name, Judea and Samaria) and East Jerusalem.The Fourth Geneva Convention mandates that a country cannot transfer its civilian population into occupied territory. This position is also reaffirmed by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).Thus, in this respect, the settlers differ from Israeli citizens residing in areas like Tel Aviv or Haifa. In the postcolonial discourse, the term “settler” often implies illegitimacy, occupation, and, at times, even violence.Also Read | Explained: Amid Iran war, the rise of Israeli settler violence in West BankIsrael, however, claims that the Geneva Convention is about forcible deportation of the local population (like Nazi practices in WWII), and does not cover voluntary civilian movement.Under Israeli rule, settlers in the West Bank enjoy full citizenship rights. They can freely move anywhere, vote in the national elections, and have full access to the welfare schemes of the government. The State also takes care of their security by posting adequate forces around the settlements.Story continues below this adOn the other hand, the Arabs living in the same area are subject to a complex system of military decrees and martial law, besides lacking civil liberties and fair political representation.Winning the numbers gameThere has been an exponential growth in the population of the settlers over the last few decades.The Israeli government encourages the settlers to have large families in order to maintain the demographic balance vis-a-vis the Palestinian Arabs living in the area.According to the 2025 European Union report on Israeli settlements, in 2024, there were approximately 5,03,732 settlers living in the West Bank and another 2,33,600 residing in East Jerusalem. They mainly reside across 147 officially recognised settlements and over 220 unofficial “outposts” throughout the occupied West Bank.Story continues below this adAlso Read | How Jews first migrated to Palestine, and how Israel was bornThe settlements are built in strategic areas. According to Israeli liberal advocacy organisation Peace Now, neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem have been constructed to cement Israeli sovereignty. Hence, this construction negates the Palestinian claim to the city as its capital.The settlements range from small, heavily fortified, ideologically driven outposts deep in Palestinian territory to massive suburban blocs situated closer to the 1949 Armistice border (the Green Line, drawn between Israel and its neighbours after the 1948 Arab-Israeli war).The settlers have outnumbered the other sections of the Jewish population by a fair margin. Today, a massive segment of the West Bank settler population is Haredi (an Orthodox sect), concentrated in densely populated, purpose-built urban centres like Modi’in Illit and Beitar Illit.Not a monolithWhile a general understanding of the Jewish settlers portrays them as a monolith, a closer look reveals the internal nuances. The movement comprises several distinct subgroups with varying motivations and voting patterns.Story continues below this adThe most prominent group among the settlers is that of the religious nationalists, who emerged with the new geographical and political developments after the 1967 war. Their core idea is territorial nationalism in light of biblical “prophecies and promises.”The organisations like Gush Emunim view Israel’s victory against the Arab countries in the 1967 war as a divine gift and a step toward messianic redemption and reclamation of Judea and Samaria. Politically, they form the backbone of Israel’s far-right. In recent elections, they have overwhelmingly supported the Religious Zionism coalition, led by figures like Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, who advocate for the outright annexation of the West Bank and the unhindered expansion of settlements. An attack by settlers in the West Bank village of Qawawis on August 26, 2025. Wikimedia CommonsThe Ultra-Orthodox faction is also a force to reckon with in Israeli politics. They are known to be historically non-Zionist (and in some cases anti-Zionist). Their reason to move to the West Bank is said to be driven by socio-economic pressures: a severe housing crisis within Israel and a desire for culturally insular communities where they can maintain their strict religious lifestyle.They generally vote for parties such as Shas and United Torah Judaism. Their representatives ensure that they secure funding for the religious and general needs of the community. Hence, their engagement in the settlement project is largely due to practical rather than theological reasons.Story continues below this adNewsletterFollow our daily newsletter so you never miss anything important. On Wednesday, we answer readers' questions.SubscribeAnother set of settlers, who add to the numbers, are called the “economic settlers”. The group comprises mainly secular or traditional Israelis who chose to move across the Green Line in search of affordable housing, government subsidies, and a suburban lifestyle within commuting distance of major employment hubs like Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. These people generally trace their ancestry back to Europe’s secular Jewish groups and vote for mainstream parties like Benjamin Netanyahu-led Likud.Another group, which spearheads the establishment of unauthorised outposts across the West Bank, is known as “Hilltop Youth”. They predominantly consist of Jewish teenagers and young adults—some as young as 15—who leave their homes and families to establish unauthorised outposts on remote hilltops across the West Bank. They live in makeshift tents. They herd sheep and practise agriculture. They don’t use modern amenities like running water and electricity, to live what they call a lifestyle prescribed by the Bible.Anthropologist Shimi Friedman and Akiba Cohen note that the Hilltop Youth are vehemently anti-establishment. They reject the legal and moral authority of the secular, democratic State of Israel. Therefore, they pose a unique obstacle to the security forces by extending the outposts according to their own will.Fulfilling the theological commitmentThe settlers are deeply integrated into the Israeli military apparatus, often viewing military service as the manifestation of their theological and nationalist commitment to the land of Israel. Like all Jewish Israeli citizens, settlers are subject to mandatory conscription at age 18. Reports suggest that settlers—particularly those from the Religious Zionist camp—participate at rates that often exceed the national average.