Gordon's project conducts an annual study of official population data obtained from the Israeli Interior Ministry. The data showed robust growth in settlements across the board, from large towns located near Israeli population centers to isolated communities deep inside the West Bank. An estimated two-thirds of the settler population are religious Jews, who tend to have larger families. Nabil Abu Rdeneh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, called the growth in the settler population a "direct result" of U.S. policy. Peace Now said the data in Tuesday's report seemed "logical," citing the Israeli government's policy "to encourage construction and relocation to the West Bank."

Source: ABC News February 05, 2019 16:47 UTC