The World - News from Sept. 22, 1986

The number of Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank increased by 50%--to 60,000 from 40,000--over the last two years despite a government-imposed slowdown on settlement construction, Israel radio reported. The report, based on a survey conducted by the state-owned radio, said the increase occurred over the period beginning when Prime Minister Shimon Peres took office in September, 1984. However, the government’s Bureau of Statistics reported that at the end of 1985, only 41,000 Jews were living in the West Bank.