▁of ▁the ▁Dead ▁Sea ▁also ▁determ ines ▁the ▁percentage . ▁ ▁Geography , ▁resources ▁and ▁policy ▁▁ ▁Area ▁C ▁is ▁rich ly ▁end owed ▁with ▁natural ▁resources , ▁including ▁most ▁of ▁Palest in ian ▁agricult ural ▁and ▁gra zing ▁land . ▁It ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁cont igu ous ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁West ▁Bank , ▁thus ▁all ▁large ▁scale ▁projects ▁involve ▁work ▁in ▁Area ▁C . ▁ ▁S ett lement s ▁and ▁housing ▁policy ▁▁ ▁Area ▁C , ▁ex cluding ▁East ▁Jerusalem , ▁is ▁home ▁to ▁ 3 8 5 , 9 0 0 ▁Isra eli ▁sett lers ▁and ▁approximately ▁ 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁Palest ini ans . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁Norwegian ▁Ref uge e ▁Council , ▁Isra eli ▁planning ▁and ▁z oning ▁reg imes ▁in ▁Area ▁C ▁all ▁but ▁prohib it ▁Palest in ian ▁construction ▁in ▁almost ▁ 7 0 ▁percent ▁this ▁zone , ▁and ▁render ▁the ▁obtain ing ▁of ▁perm its ▁in ▁the ▁remaining ▁ 3 0 ▁percent ▁nearly ▁impossible . ▁ ▁Israel ▁strictly ▁controls ▁Palest in ian ▁settlement , ▁construction ▁and ▁development ▁in ▁Area ▁C . in ▁the ▁ 1 2 ▁years ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁only ▁ 2 1 1 ▁Palest in ian ▁subm issions ▁for ▁Isra eli ▁perm its , ▁out ▁of ▁ 3 , 7 5 0 ▁applications ( ▁ 5 . 6 %) ▁– ▁were ▁approved . ▁The ▁figure ▁t ails ▁off ▁for ▁the ▁last ▁ 4 ▁years , ▁ 2 0 0 9