One of the most powerful symbols - and tools - of the Israeli occupation is the presence in Palestinian areas of Jewish settlements.
These "settlements" are in fact part of a network of armed colonies that, by one estimate, effectively control 42% of the occupied West Bank. Many of them dominate and intimidate Palestinian communities. They are illegal under international law and have been condemned by the UN.
The Israelis bring with them a version of apartheid. On the way to one settlement near Gaza, John Pilger passed a road being built for the sole use of Jewish settlers and soldiers. Until it's opened, the Palestinians who also live there must wait hours for the few settlers to drive by.
Inside the settlers' fortress is a surreal, middle class suburb, dropped into one of the most overcrowded and poorest corners of the world.
One of the strategic aims here is the control of water, which is precious in the Middle East. While Palestinians often don't have enough running water - sometimes none at all in the heat of summer - the settlers seldom run out. And the symbol of the occupation is the wall that surrounds the settlement.
The justification for taking somebody else's land is Biblical - that God gave them Palestine and God, not the history of others, is their witness. Confirming this view, Jewish settler David Reisch says: | 
