The West Bank’s status lies at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Most of the international community views it as Palestinian territory, but every Israeli settlement in the land lessens any hope for a future Palestinian state. Israel has over 140 settlements in the West Bank, considers the land as disputed, and often invokes Biblical justification for annexation. Human rights groups and UN agencies report that settler attacks have surged in recent years, displacing entire Arab communities and restricting Palestinian access to land and livelihoods.