DayofPal– Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has declared the confiscation of 24,000 dunams of land in the occupied West Bank, saying the decision is a significant step in strengthening Israel’s control over the West Bank
Reclassified as “state land,” this territory is set to be prepared for the expansion of illegal settlements, the development of new settlers’ infrastructure, and the construction of roads to serve Zionist settlers.
“Today, we completed a complex process to designate 24,000 dunams as new state lands,” he said. “This step ensures settlement growth, infrastructure development, and guarantees our presence here forever,” he said.
The process entails declaring land as public property by asserting it has no private ownership. This designation paves the way for Israeli authorities to repurpose the land for settlement development and other state-led projects.
Reports suggest that at the expense of the Palestinians’ life, several settlements will gain immediate advantages from this decision. In Ma’ale Adumim, 2,600 dunams will be added to the southern area, linking it to the nearby Kedar settlement. Migdal Oz will nearly double its size, with 281 dunams designated for 500 new housing units.
In southern Hebron, Susya will expand by 109 dunams to accommodate educational and industrial facilities. The most significant growth will take place in the Jordan Valley, where the Yafit settlement is set to receive over 20,000 dunams.
This step is deemed one of the largest Israeli land seizures since the Oslo Accords as it significantly increases the fragmentation of Palestinian territory. The move has been widely criticized for undermining Palestinian rights and accelerating settlement activity in the occupied West Bank.
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