Who are the ‘Hilltop Girls’ behind Israel’s ‘soft settlement’ strategy?

What Happened

A movement of young Israeli women, known as the 'Hilltop Girls', is employing a 'soft settlement' strategy to expand illegal outposts in the occupied West Bank. By establishing domestic, family-oriented communities at sites like Maoz Esther and Or Ahuvia, these settlers aim to formalise territorial claims on private Palestinian land. According to B'Tselem, these outposts receive logistical support, including water, electricity, and military protection, from the Israeli Civil Administration. The United Nations reported 2,806 settler attacks between January 2025 and May 2026, with the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stating that these actions have displaced nearly 2,000 Palestinians in 2026 alone.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The 'soft settlement' strategy represents a shift in tactics for the Hilltop Youth, moving from overt violence to the creation of permanent, state-supported infrastructure. This expansion, coupled with legislative efforts in the Knesset to facilitate land purchases, aims to create integrated settlement blocs that physically fragment the West Bank, which the United Nations and the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs argue renders a viable, contiguous Palestinian state impossible.

Watch For

Monitor the implementation of the 'Land of Israel' lobby's bill in the Knesset, which seeks to legalise Jewish land purchases in the West Bank. Additionally, observe whether the Israeli government continues to provide infrastructure and military protection to outposts like Maoz Esther and Or Ahuvia, and track further reports from the United Nations regarding settler-led displacement of Palestinian communities.