Abstract

Today almost 400 000 Israelis live in more than 200 civilian settlements established on territory occupied by Israel in June 1967, including 210 000 in the West Bank and 7 000 in the Gaza Strip. Some of these are settled communities of decades duration, while others can be considered outposts. Various ideas for a territorial division of the occupied territories have been raised during the Oslo years and since, all of which envision in varying degrees the end of Israeli jurisdiction over some settlement areas. Based on extensive data collection, this study will identify scenarios for Israeli territorial withdrawal from the occupied territories and evaluate the potential uses of the evacuated settlements and their associated infrastructure to the Palestinian community. One particularly interesting element to be considered is the interrelationship between the evacuation of Israeli settlements and the resolution of the refugee question.

Recipient Institution(s)