DayofPal—Israel has ordered to seize 30 hectares (74 acres) of Palestinian land near Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, under the pretext of expropriation for public purposes.
Moayad Shaaban, head of the Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, reported that the order targets land in the Jabal Al-Fureidis area near Bethlehem and is intended to facilitate the development an alleged “archaeological site.”
In a statement, Shaaban said the measure was the third expropriation order issued by Israeli authorities since the beginning of 2026.
He warned that the decision forms part of a broader policy aimed at imposing legal and administrative control over Palestinian land and redirecting it to serve housing projects for occupiers.
According to Shaaban, Israeli authorities had already declared 17.1 hectares (42 acres) of land surrounding the site as state land in 2024.
He said targeting Palestinian archaeological and heritage sites goes beyond land control and is part of efforts to reshape the historical and cultural landscape in support of the settlement enterprise.
Shaaban described the policy as one of the most dangerous tools used to impose de facto annexation of Palestinian territory through unilateral measures that violate international law.
The announcement comes amid increased Israeli measures involving archaeological sites in the West Bank, which, according to Palestinian officials, are being used to expand control over land and strengthen settlement activity in Area C.
Under the 1995 Oslo II Accord, Area C, which comprises about 61% of the occupied West Bank, remains under full Israeli control.
According to Israel’s public broadcaster, in February, the Israeli government approved a measure allowing authorities to register large areas of West Bank land as state property for the first time since 1967.
Israeli attacks have surged across the occupied West Bank since October 2023, resulting in the killing of 1,168 Palestinians, the injury of 12,666, and the arrest of 23,000, in addition to the displacement of around 33,000 people as of May 26.
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