The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) disclosed today that the number of Jewish settlers in the West Bank at the end of the year 2008 had amounted to little more than half a million Jewish settlers in 440 settlements. In its annual statistical report on the Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories, the PCBS said the number of colonial sites in the West Bank at the end of the year 2008 amounted to 440 sites, 144 of which are settlements, including 96 colonies within the borders of the colonies and 109 other colonies located beyond the borders of the occupation settlements colonies. And 43 more are classified as Israeli sites in addition to 48 military bases. The issuance of the PCBS annual report came within the PCBS' efforts which deal with the Israeli violations in Palestinian society, also seeks to provide the data needed to describe the reality of Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories and to highlight the key features and the fundamental factors that affect the Palestinian society.
