Israeli settlements were erected for a variety of reasons. In some cases, Israelis sought to recover property lost in the 1948 war and the hostilities leading up to it. In other cases, settlements were established for security reasons, to create a buffer zone between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Still, others were established for religious reasons, to create a Jewish presence in areas of historical and religious significance... Most of these newer settlers were motivated less by reasons of security or religion than by the availability of affordable housing and government subsidies