In 1975, 23 families together settled land just east of Jerusalem. It was to become Ma’aleh Adumim. Its city status was formally recognised in 1991 by the Israeli government, making it a first new city in what it deems “Judea and Samaria”, known to expelled Palestinian occupants and the rest of the world as the West Bank.

The territory was seized by Israel in 1967 and has been ruled by military force since. Its occupation and continuing Israeli settlement are viewed as illegal internationally, not least by the International Court of Justice.

The West Bank has a population of 750,000 Palestinians and more than 670,000 Israeli settlers, of which 220,000 are in East Jerusalem, which is so far the only part formally annexed by Israel. Complete annexation is a cherished project of the far right in the government, which has sharply accelerated the process in advance of the October general election, which is expected to see the government of Binyamin Netanyahu ousted.

Today, Ma’aleh Adumim is home to more than 40,000 and thrives as a suburb of Jerusalem. Its “city” administrative status allows everyone – except West Bank Palestinians, who do not have Israeli citizenship – freedom to become a resident simply by buying a property on the market.

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