Description

Palestinian children look at bungalows built by Israeli settlers on seized
land, near Birzeit on Dec. 3, 2013 (AFP/File Abbas Momani)
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NABLUS (Ma'an) -- The Israeli government issued confiscation orders to Palestinian land owners in Nablus on Monday to seize over 300 dunams (74 acres) of land to expand nearby illegal settlements, an official said.

Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian official who monitors settlement activity in the northern West Bank, told Ma'an that the Israeli government issued the seizure orders to landowners in the Ras Mues and al-Khafafish areas near the village of Jalud.

The land is located between the illegal Shilo settlement and outpost of Shvut Rachel and will be used to build a Jewish cemetery, school and farm, Daghlas said.

The land is owned by Tawfiq Abdullah al-Hajj Muhammad and his brother Ahmad.

Israel has begun work on 10,509 housing units in illegal settlements while simultaneously demolishing 146 Palestinian homes since peace talks began in July.

Since 1967, Israel has established over 150 settlements and some 100 outposts in the occupied West Bank, with a settler population of 520,000, according to OCHA.

Over 43 percent of land in the occupied West Bank is allocated to settlement local and regional councils.

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by IMEMC & Agencies Report post

[Monday, March 31, 2014] The Israeli government decided to illegally confiscate nearly 300 dunams of Palestinian lands south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, in order to build a new settlement.

Ghassan Daghlas, in charge of the Israeli Settlements File at the Palestinian Authority, in the northern part of the West Bank, said that the army decided to confiscate some 300 dunams belonging to villagers of Jaloud village.

Daghlas added that the army decided to confiscate Basins 12 and 13, in the Rasem Weis al-Khafafeesh area which belongs to Jaloud villagers, the WAFA News Agency has reported.

He said that the illegal Israeli plan aims at building an educational facility, a graveyard and a farm.

In related news, a number of Israeli settlers burnt, on Monday, ten olive trees in Qaryout village, south of Nablus.

Israel’s settlements in occupied Palestine are illegitimate under International Law and the Fourth Geneva Convention, to which Israel is a signatory.

They are largely built on privately owned Palestinian lands and orchards illegally annexed by Israel.

Settlements are spread across the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, depleting Palestinian resources and occupying sensitive areas, especially in the Jordan Valley, hills and areas rich with water resources.

Israel’s settlement construction and expansion activities are amongst the main issues obstructing direct peace talks and hindering the chances of achieving a final status peace agreement.