RAMALLAH, August 2, 2009 (WAFA)- The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), said the number of occupation sites in the West Bank totaled 440, 144 of which colonies, 96 were outposts inside the colonial boundaries, 109 were outposts outside the colonial boundaries, 43 occupation sites were classified as other, and 48 were military bases.

The PCBS released Sunday a statistical report about the Israeli colonies in the Palestinian Territory (OPT) for the year 2008. The report contains statistical data about population, social, economic, and geographic indicators of the Israeli Settlements. The report complies with PCBS work plan and is the outcome of the efforts of PCBS to produce a series of statistical reports that show the extent of Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people. Such series of statistical reports aiming to produce required data on the Israeli settlements in the Palestinian Territory and to disclose the basic factors, which affect Palestinian Society.

According to colonies distribution, the data shows that, most of them were in Jerusalem Governorate (26 colonies) and 16 of them were annexed by Israel. At the end of 2007, 38.3% was beyond the reach of Palestinians of the West Bank total area.  The area of built-up land in different occupation sites reached 235,209 thousand square meters by the end of 2006.

Available data indicate that the number of colonizers in the West Bank reached 500,670 colonizers by the end of 2008; most of them live in Jerusalem Governorate (261,885 colonizers) 198,458 of them in (J1), then Ramallah & Al-Bireh Governorate (87,059 colonizers), then Bethlehem Governorate  (54,111 colonizers), then Salfit Governorate (30,824 colonizers).  While the minimum number of colonizers, 1,328  colonizers are in Tubas Governorate.

The report shows that the number of colonizers who live in Israeli colonies in the Palestinian Territory increased by more than 40 times during the period 1972-2008.  In comparison, the Jews in historical Palestine area and in other Arab Occupied Territories increased around 2 times during the same period.

The end of the year 2007 data indicate that the colonies in the West Bank were distributed into four strips; eastern strip includes 28 colonies, mountain strip includes 31 colonies, western hills strip includes 48 colonies, and the greater Jerusalem strip includes 37 colonies.