Netanyahu government funding West Bank settlements at expense of other Israeli communities

PM Netanyahu’s government is channelling funds to West Bank settlements at the expense of communities inside the pre-1967 lines, a new report has revealed.

The Israeli government transfers hundreds of millions of NIS annually to the World Zionist Organisation’s Settlement Division. According to Israeli think tank Molad, 74% of the funds directly sent to municipalities are invested in the West Bank settlements.

Beit El settlement near Ramallah, for example, was allocated NIS 51.5 million, more than all of what the population in the Negev and Galilee received combined. Settlers in Har Hebron received NIS 1,418 per person this year, compared to NIS 130 for those in the southern Eshkol region. This discrepancy has been attacked by Labor leader Isaac Herzog.

40 out of 52 religious settlement projects supported by the Settlement Division are closely affiliated with the Jewish Home party, while some of the heads of associations supported by the Division have supported ‘price tag’ actions against IDF soldiers to prevent the dismantling of outposts, incited against Arabs, or declared that the state should be subordinate to the laws of the Torah.

With thanks to Ofer Neiman for translation help.