# Why is Israel building new settlements in the West Bank? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 2, 2017, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835 "2017-02-02T17:45:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835/1 "2017-02-02T17:45:05Z")
I actually am hoping for a GQ answer but I suspect this can’t stay out of GD. My question is why does Israel feel the need to build there (Israel [recently announced plans](http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/01/middleeast/israel-settlements-approved/) they were going to build a new settlement there). Is there a shortage of land in Israel? Are they running out of space such that this is the only place they can find to build on? I don’t get it. Why do something that is clearly antagonistic when it is completely unnecessary? Or is it necessary and I am just missing something? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835/2 "2017-02-02T17:48:44Z")
Possibly for domestic political reasons. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835/3 "2017-02-02T17:49:34Z")
Basically because they genuinely believe it’s part of Eretz Israel. And politically because they think they can get away with it now Trump is President (and they’re probably right). Personally I think it’s a disastrous move vis-a-vis the peace process but I suspect that process is not high on Israel’s mind at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835/4 "2017-02-02T17:57:20Z")
Because once there are settlements there it is harder to give the land back to the Palestinians in any future agreement. Basically the motive behind the statement that it is better to ask for forgiveness than permission. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835/5 "2017-02-02T18:27:53Z")
Because in case the “two-state solution” ever comes to pass, the other state will have a sizeable Jewish population. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835/6 "2017-02-02T18:29:05Z")
the Palestinians wont stop the terrorism, and last time I checked, refused to admit Israel is a nation with Jerusalem as it’s capital. Since they wont give a inch, why not keep building settlements? ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835/7 "2017-02-02T18:31:11Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I actually am hoping for a GQ answer but I suspect this can’t stay out of GD. You’d be lucky to keep it out of the pit. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835/8 "2017-02-02T18:37:02Z")
In all honesty, it’s probably a purely political move to show defiance to the UN over the recent Security Council resolution. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835/9 "2017-02-02T18:50:47Z")
The Israelis are kicking Israelis out of [Amona](http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-israel-west-bank-settlements-20170201-story.html), which was built on Palestinian land. I believe they are going to be relocated. Are they building a new settlement for them? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835/10 "2017-02-02T20:09:12Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Basically because they genuinely believe it’s part of Eretz Israel. And politically because they think they can get away with it now Trump is President (and they’re probably right). > > Personally I think it’s a disastrous move vis-a-vis the peace process but I suspect that process is not high on Israel’s mind at the moment. They don’t need Trump to “get away with it”. They’ve been building settlements against the wishes of US Presidents for decades. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835/11 "2017-02-02T20:13:29Z")
Are you kidding? Trump will tweet out congratulations to the new settlers. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835/12 "2017-02-02T20:24:27Z")
The “why” is easy: they want to expand, they believe the land is theirs, they conquered it in a war, and the settlements provide a (small) defensive line against future wars. Very much the same “why” as U.S. settlers colonized Ohio. It’s there, and they want it. The “why not” is also easy: it isn’t theirs, other people already live there (there have been evictions of Palestinians from settlement areas,) it’s illegal, it provokes hostility, it alienates even the staunchest allies, and it makes an ultimate peace arrangement harder to arrive at. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835/13 "2017-02-02T20:30:10Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Because in case the “two-state solution” ever comes to pass, the other state will have a sizeable Jewish population. They’d have to build a hell of a lot of settlements to manage that. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835/14 "2017-02-02T20:31:09Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > The “why” is easy: they want to expand, they believe the land is theirs, they conquered it in a war, and the settlements provide a (small) defensive line against future wars. Very much the same “why” as U.S. settlers colonized Ohio. It’s there, and they want it. > > The “why not” is also easy: it isn’t theirs, other people already live there (there have been evictions of Palestinians from settlement areas,) it’s illegal, it provokes hostility, it alienates even the staunchest allies, and it makes an ultimate peace arrangement harder to arrive at. Also … the Jews believe that The One True God gave them that land for their own way way way back when … that whole “Moses leads the Hebrews out of Egypt” thingy … so there is something of a political faction that refuses any Palestinians claims … it’s their land, why shouldn’t they build settlements … ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835/15 "2017-02-02T20:31:20Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Because in case the “two-state solution” ever comes to pass, the other state will have a sizeable Jewish population. I think the idea is that the settlements will be part of Israel and they swap out some other land that they don’t want for the land the settlements are on. ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835/16 "2017-02-02T20:56:16Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > the Palestinians wont stop the terrorism, and last time I checked, refused to admit Israel is a nation with Jerusalem as it’s capital. > > Since they wont give a inch, why not keep building settlements? 1. It’s impossible for a government, including a quasi-government like the West Bank has, to prevent any and all violence by its citizens. Note the violence directed at Palestinians by Israelis, for instance. If a condition for negotiation is no violence being committed by any Palestinian, that hands veto power to any Palestinian who doesn’t support negotiation. 2. The PLO recognized Israel as a nation in 1993. Israel does not recognize Palestine as a nation. 3. Zero countries have their embassy in Jerusalem, which is disputed territory. Not recognizing it as the Israeli capital is the global norm, not an aberration. 4. Continuing to build settlements, in defiance of the Road Map for Peace, is an example of “not giving an inch”. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835/17 "2017-02-02T20:57:39Z")
For the same reason we (Americans) pushed Native Americans off their land: they want it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835/18 "2017-02-02T21:03:57Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > 1 > 2. The PLO recognized Israel as a nation in 1993. Israel does not recognize Palestine as a nation. In return, Israel recognized the PLO. ---
**Author:** ![Shinna\_Minna\_Ma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@Shinna\_Minna\_Ma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shinna_Minna_Ma)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835/19 "2017-02-02T21:16:46Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Because in case the “two-state solution” ever comes to pass, the other state will have a sizeable Jewish population. I believe that Palestinian leadership has already made it quite clear that [they want](http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4122473,00.html) [no Jews](http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Abbas-wants-not-a-single-Israeli-in-future-Palestinian-state-321470) [in Palestine](http://www.timesofisrael.com/abbas-says-there-will-be-no-israelis-in-palestine/). ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835/20 "2017-02-02T21:58:58Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > 1. It’s impossible for a government, including a quasi-government like the West Bank has, to prevent any and all violence by its citizens. Note the violence directed at Palestinians by Israelis, for instance. If a condition for negotiation is no violence being committed by any Palestinian, that hands veto power to any Palestinian who doesn’t support negotiation. > > 2. The PLO recognized Israel as a nation in 1993. Israel does not recognize Palestine as a nation. > > 3. Zero countries have their embassy in Jerusalem, which is disputed territory. Not recognizing it as the Israeli capital is the global norm, not an aberration. > > 4. Continuing to build settlements, in defiance of the Road Map for Peace, is an example of “not giving an inch”. Maybe so, but Hamas aids and abets such acts. And Palestine insists that Hamas be at the table. 1. PLO aint running the show anymore " Hamas charter states unequivocally that it does not recognize Israel’s right to exist", there is a difference between not officially recognizing a state and saying that state must be destroyed. 2. Due to the fact Palestine makes it an issue. 3. Hamas has given up nothing not even a promise to end terrorism or that Israel has a right to even exist. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-israel-building-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/778835.md?page=2)