Israeli settlers are Israeli citizens who live on private Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. They are almost exclusively of Jewish identity or ethnicity and live in civilian communities built on lands occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War in 1967. Settlements are authorized by the Israeli government, while outposts are built without government authorization. The vast majority of the settlements have been built either entirely or partially on private Palestinian land. More than 700,000 settlers, which is 10 percent of Israels nearly 7 million population, now live in 150 settlements and 128 outposts dotting the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Some of the settlers move to the occupied territories for religious reasons, while others are drawn by a relatively lower cost of living and financial incentives offered by the government. Ultraorthodox Jews form one-third of all settlers. Settlements create what Israelis and Palestinians call "new facts on the ground." Palestinian communities are split apart and their connection to the land weakened, while Jewish communities put down roots in territory meant for Palestinians. The settlements and military occupation required to defend them make life really difficult for Palestinians. Palestinians are excluded from certain Israeli-only roads and forced to go through a number of security checkpoints. The very existence of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories violates international humanitarian law and is a war crime.