Israeli Military Orders to Seize Palestinian Lands Near Qalqilia for Settlement Expansion
Israeli authorities have issued two military orders to confiscate land in the occupied West Bank for settlement development.
LONDON: Israeli authorities issued two military orders on Wednesday to seize approximately 25 dunums (2.5 hectares) of Palestinian land for settlement expansion and development near the Qalqilia governorate in the occupied West Bank.Muneef Nazzal, a monitor of settlement activity in Qalqilia, reported to Wafa that an Israeli army order authorized the confiscation of three dunums and 712 square meters of land in the town of Azzun, located east of Qalqilia.
The seized plot is intended for constructing a road connecting the settlement of Alfei Menashe with the Qalqilia-Nablus road, also known as Road 55.According to Nazzal, another Israeli order approved the seizure of approximately 21 dunums and 307 square meters of land in Azzun and Jayyous for a 'security wall' around the settlement of Tzufim.Both Alfei Menashe and Tzufim have been established on land that belongs to residents from the towns of Azzun, Jayyous, and Kafr Thulth.The ongoing expansion of Israeli settlements in this area threatens agricultural lands essential for the livelihoods of Palestinian families who rely heavily on farming as their primary income source, as reported by Wafa.Under international law, Israeli settlements built on land occupied since 1967 are deemed unlawful.
These settlements hinder the establishment of a viable Palestinian state and exacerbate tensions within the region.Recently, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed concern that the expansion of Israeli settlements fuels tensions, violence, and instability in the area, further complicating US efforts towards achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and posing an existential threat to the realization of a Palestinian state.
The seized plot is intended for constructing a road connecting the settlement of Alfei Menashe with the Qalqilia-Nablus road, also known as Road 55.According to Nazzal, another Israeli order approved the seizure of approximately 21 dunums and 307 square meters of land in Azzun and Jayyous for a 'security wall' around the settlement of Tzufim.Both Alfei Menashe and Tzufim have been established on land that belongs to residents from the towns of Azzun, Jayyous, and Kafr Thulth.The ongoing expansion of Israeli settlements in this area threatens agricultural lands essential for the livelihoods of Palestinian families who rely heavily on farming as their primary income source, as reported by Wafa.Under international law, Israeli settlements built on land occupied since 1967 are deemed unlawful.
These settlements hinder the establishment of a viable Palestinian state and exacerbate tensions within the region.Recently, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed concern that the expansion of Israeli settlements fuels tensions, violence, and instability in the area, further complicating US efforts towards achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and posing an existential threat to the realization of a Palestinian state.
