Meir Simcha chose a special location for our discussion, recognizing it as a significant time. In the politically charged and land-sensitive region of the West Bank, Simcha selected a spot under a fig tree near a freshwater spring. He offered juice from his dusty off-road Toyota, emphasizing its lack of extra sugar. Simcha leads a group of settlers expanding into the Hebron region, occupied by Israel since 1967. He arranged flat stones for seating, creating a peaceful oasis despite the usual tensions in the West Bank.
The Arab-Jewish land conflict has persisted for over a century, ignited by European Zionists establishing communities in Palestine. Recent escalations followed the deadly October 2023 Hamas attacks and Israel’s severe response. The prolonged conflict mirrors the transformative 1967 Middle East war when Israel seized Gaza, East Jerusalem, and the West Bank. Israeli actions in Gaza overshadow a tense West Bank filled with violence. Since October 2023, Israeli scrutiny on Palestinians has intensified under the guise of security.
Statements from ministers, figures like Simcha, and witnesses suggest a strategy to accelerate settler expansion and nullify hopes for a Palestinian state. Palestinians and human rights advocates accuse Israeli forces of neglecting their obligation to protect Palestinians and even partaking in settler violence. UN estimates indicate an average of four daily settler attacks post-October 2023. The International Court of Justice views the 1967 occupation as illegal, a stance Israel disputes, claiming the Geneva Conventions are inapplicable, a view at odds with many allies and international legal experts.
Under the fig tree, Simcha refuted allegations of attacking Palestinians, relishing the absence of Arab farmers from his seized lands. For him, the October attacks shifted realities, leaving the opposition hopeless and signaling a retreat. Simcha questions global concern for Palestinians, considering them insignificant compared to his people. He claims departing Palestinians accepted divine intention for Jewish land ownership. A July UN report highlighted displacement, violence, and livelihoods’ destruction, citing systemic human rights violations.
Simcha shared plans for a spring-based swimming pool, indicative of the ongoing settler expansion. He started with isolated caravans, now part of a 200-strong hilltop community. Initially a fringe element known for violent confrontations, Simcha’s group now plays a pivotal role as settler influence grows, with leaders seeking lasting Jewish land claims. Simcha, a content man, believes his mission aligns with divine will, fulfilling a vision for a Jewish-claimed West Bank.
Israel’s settlement initiative began post-1967 and, over almost six decades, all governments and affluent supporters facilitated 700,000 Israeli Jews living across the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Observing since 1991, it’s evident the landscape is dominated by settlements, resembling towns with intricate roads denoting permanent claims and stifling Palestinian agriculture. Israel argues control is necessary for settler safety. Palestinian farmers now require military permits for scant land access, their presence increasingly invisible, particularly in heavily settled areas.
When I first reported on settlements, leaders argued national security depended on them. Echoing earlier agricultural movements, post-1967 settlements served as strategic defense. Real estate became crucial in peace trade-offs during the Oslo process, a foiled attempt at resolving 20th-century territorial conflicts. Arafat and Rabin’s 1993 agreement, which envisioned Israel relinquishing land for Palestinian renunciation of pre-1948 claims, was derailed by various outlying forces.
Hamas consistently dismissed peace possibilities, favoring religious claims to all Palestinian territories, while religious Zionists believed 1967’s outcomes were divinely fated for Jewish redemption. Rabin’s 1995 assassination underscored the internal religious-political volatility, perpetrated by an assassin seeking to avert divine defiance.
The messianic ideology prevails among settlers like Simcha, viewing 1967’s events as divine restoration of Judea and Samaria. Orit Strock voiced this sentiment, seeing recent governmental actions as progressive divine signals. The government distinguishes between “legal” settlements and outposts, now often legalized under rebranding efforts, driving settler project expansion.
April saw Finance Minister Smotrich celebrate settlers’ territorial gains, endorsing all-terrain vehicles for regional control. Among notable attendees was Yinon Levi, known for anti-Palestinian aggression, who faces international sanctions. Levi, connected to radical settler figures, killed Palestinian activist Odeh Hathaleen, claiming self-defense amid contentious circumstances. Hathaleen’s brother denounced the incident, wherein Odeh was reportedly holding his son.
Settlers’ momentum post-October is propelled by nationalistic cabinet members like Ben Gvir and Smotrich, contrasting initial secular settlement drivers Allon and Sharon, both strategic yet lacking religious motivations. Today’s leaders’ religious zeal energizes their political agenda, straining secular-Israel relations while promoting unyielding territorial claims.
Meeting Yehuda Shaul revealed a decisive