MIDDLE EAST: The population of Jewish settlements in the West Bank has grown this year by more than the 9,000 settlers evacuated under a plan to cede some occupied land, an Israeli government official said yesterday.
Thousands of Israelis have streamed into larger West Bank settlements since the start of the year, increasing the number of Jews living on occupied land to 246,000, said the interior ministry official, who declined to be identified.
The official said that even after factoring in Israel's evacuation of 21 settlements in Gaza and four in the West Bank this week, the overall number now living in the occupied West Bank has grown by about 10,000 Jews, mainly ultra-orthodox.
Under prime minister Ariel Sharon's pull-out plan, Israel removed 9,000 settlers from all of the Gaza Strip and the northern West Bank, territories occupied 38 years ago.
Mr Sharon billed the pull-out as "disengagement" from conflict with the Palestinians, but Palestinians fear the move is a ruse to cement Israeli control over much of the West Bank.
"Israel's insistence on expanding settlements represents a declaration of war against the Palestinians because it aims to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state by reinforcing and prolonging occupation," Palestinian cabinet minister Ghassan al-Khatib said.
"The Gaza step will not be worthy unless the international community compels Israel to match it with a stop to settlement expansion in the West Bank."
The Israeli official was unable to say how many of the 10,000 new residents were children born this year to families already living in settlements.
The official said most of the newcomers were ultra-orthodox Jews seeking affordable housing, while many others had moved to Maale Adumim, the largest West Bank settlement with a population of 30,000, situated about eight kilometres (five miles) east of Jerusalem.
Despite the rising numbers, a majority of Israelis favour removing more Jewish settlements, according to a poll published in the country's biggest newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. A majority backed Sharon's pull-out plan. The poll of 501 Israelis showed 54 per cent backed further pull-outs, while 42 per cent were opposed and 4 per cent did not respond.