The Settlement Movement is one of the most misunderstood pieces of the Israel story, often reduced to a single image instead of the complicated reality it actually is.

In this explainer we trace the origins of the movement, the mainstream ideology that drives most of it, and the fringe ultra-nationalist faction within it. This includes the violence some of its members have committed and the troubling support for this fringe that has been found inside parts of the Israeli government.

Real education means engaging with the hard parts of this story. For a list of sources, click here.

(Created June 2026)