RAMALLAH: The number of Jewish occupiers in the West Bank has exceeded 300,000, the Israel daily Haaretz reported on Monday, quoting statistics gathered by a military body covering the first half of 2009.

Figures from the Israeli Civil Administration, a unit responsible for coordinating civil issues between Israel and the Palestinians, shows that as of June 30, the settlements had 304,569 occupiers, an increase of 2.3 percent since January.

The figures do not include the Jewish occupiers in East Jerusalem and surrounding settlements.

Khalil Tafakji, a Palestinian expert of Israeli settlement in the West Bank, told Arab News that there are nearly 200,000 Jewish occupiers in East Jerusalem.

Most of the growth was in the most religious settlements, including the ultra-Orthodox settlements. Modi’in Ilit, to the west of Ramallah, gained 1,879 occupiers, a 4.5 percent increase. Beitar Ilit, to the south of Jerusalem, gained 1,074 occupiers, a 3.1 percent jump.

Excluding these two communities, the growth rate in the other Jewish settlements was 1.75 percent.

Generally, growth rates are higher in the second half of the year, because many families move over the summer, the report said.

Among local councils, Har Adar (near Jerusalem) saw 5.7 percent growth, and Alfei Menashe (to the southeast of Qalqilyah) reported a 2.7 percent increase. Kedumim, to the west of Nablus, recorded 2.1 percent; Emanuel (southeast of Nablus), 1.2 percent; and Kiryat Arba (in Hebron), 0.9 percent.

The report also noted a 4.4 percent increase — 425 people — in settlers living outside settlements areas.However, these figures do not include all of the occupiers of unauthorized settlement outposts, as some are regarded as residents of adjoining settlements. The highest growth rates by percentage were in small settlements such as Itamar, Elon Moreh and Kfar Tapuah, near Nablus.

Settlements built on the Palestinian territories are one of the core issues impeding the unwieldy peace process between the two neighbors.

Chief Palestinian peace negotiator, Sa’eb Erekat, said that the Palestinian Authority (PA) “will not accept any compromise regarding the issue of settlements.”

Erekat urged the Obama administration to “oblige Israel to abide by the road map peace plan.”