Jerusalem: The Israeli occupation authorities have reactivated longstanding seizing orders on hundreds of dunams of land in the village of Qalandia, situated north of Jerusalem. The Jerusalem Governorate has indicated that these lands are positioned east of Qalandia, adjacent to the Atarot colonial industrial zone and Jerusalem Airport.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, these orders were initially issued during the 1970s and 1980s with the intent to expand the Atarot colonial industrial zone. Despite their issuance, the orders remained dormant for decades due to resistance from local landowners.
Residents of the area have consistently rejected the validity of these occupation orders and have persistently avoided compliance. Over the years, they have maintained the cultivation of their lands without interference from Israeli authorities. However, recent developments have seen the reactivation of these orders, with authorities demanding landowners surrender their properties to the "Israel Land Administration."
The lands in question are historically registered to their current owners in both the English and Jordanian Land Registries, originating from the people of Qalandia village and the city of Jerusalem, prior to the establishment of Israel.
