Beit iksa: Dozens of Israeli colonists, accompanied by the extremist deputy mayor of Jerusalem, Aryeh King, stormed Beit Iksa village northwest of occupied Jerusalem in an attempt to seize a plot of land in the western part of the village, according to a local official.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, Murad Zaid, head of the Beit Iksa Village Council, reported that the colonists raided areas west of the village and sought to seize land owned by local residents by surrounding it with barbed wire. This move was seen as an attempt to impose a new reality, paving the way for future confiscation.
Zaid explained that residents confronted the colonists and blocked their actions, leading to the intervention of Israeli occupation forces. These forces formally evacuated the colonists and declared the area a 'closed military zone,' thereby preventing villagers from accessing their lands.
He highlighted that this attempt is part of a systematic policy targeting the isolated lands of Beit Iksa, which are encircled by the Mevaseret Zion colonial settlement, illegally established on the village lands, and the depopulated Qaluniya village.
These lands are frequently subjected to attacks and seizure attempts by colonists, with the direct backing of the Israeli municipality of west Jerusalem. This is part of broader plans to expand colonial settlements and impose a new demographic reality around occupied Jerusalem.
Beit Iksa faces strict occupation measures, including a single military checkpoint controlling village entrances, as well as restrictions on construction and access to agricultural lands. These measures exacerbate the residents' hardships and threaten their continued presence on their land.