• It has been charged that the building or expansion of Israeli settlements is a breach of the provisions of the Israeli-Palestinian peace agreements.

• In fact, neither of the agreements in force between Israel and the PLO - the Declaration of Principles and the Interim Agreement - contains any provision prohibiting or restricting the establishment or expansion of Israeli settlements. Similarly, none of the other agreements between the two sides, now superseded by the Interim Agreement, contained such a provision. At various stages during the negotiations over these agreements, requests were made by the Palestinian side to include such a provision. Israel, however, opposed the inclusion of such a provision, pointing out that Israeli policy in this regard had already been established in a number of decisions by the Israeli Government, and explaining that it was not prepared to undertake any commitment beyond these unilateral Government decisions.

• The Declaration of Principles does provide, in Article V, that the issues of settlements and Israelis are among a number of issues to be negotiated in the permanent status negotiations. Article IV provides that the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Council covers "West Bank and Gaza Strip territory, except for those issues that will be negotiated in the permanent status negotiations." Accordingly, not only is there no restriction on settlement activity during the interim period, but the Council has no jurisdiction over settlements or Israelis. Settlements and Israelis remain under exclusive Israeli authority throughout the interim period. http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Archive/Peace%20Process/1996/ISRAEL

• Shomron Regional Council: 30 Settlements, 5,128 families. http://www.shomron.org.il/Index.asp?CategoryID=289  The Shomron region is one of four regions, not including the once Katif region.

• Gush Etzion Region: 18 Settlements http://www.baitisraeli.co.il/?CategoryID=170

• Hebron Region: 16 Settlements http://www.hrhevron.co.il/?CategoryID=192

• Settlement Population by age: http://www.fmep.org/settlement_info/settlement-info-and-tables/stats-data/population-by-age-1996-2003

• Links to Maps

http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Facts+About+Israel/Israel+in+Maps/Judea+and+Samaria+showing+Palestinian+Authority+Ar.htm
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Facts+About+Israel/Israel+in+Maps/Judea+and+Samaria.htm
http://www.biu.ac.il/SOC/besa/books/maps/map4.jpg
http://www.fmep.org/maps/settlements-population/occupied-territories2002.gif/image_view_fullscreen