Forget Religion, Settlers See a Bargain

Roughly 2.4 percent of the Israeli population has managed to hijack the peace process by moving into settlements in Palestinian territory. So what drives these people? It may have less to do with religion and more to do with the low cost of living on occupied land.

Consider Shelly Allon, an art therapist who found a steal beyond the 1967 borders. — PS

Christian Science Monitor:

She and her husband, Jeff, an artist, had lived together in Israel for many years before returning to the US to live in Philadelphia for 11 years. They returned to Jerusalem a year ago and discovered that an affordable home there to house them and most of their eight children – the youngest is 7 and the oldest, 22, is a student at the University of Pennsylvania – proved impossible.

So they took the leap, buying a five-bedroom, multistory house for $210,000 – a quarter of the cost of an equivalent apartment in Jerusalem.

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