Jerusalem: A report issued by the National Bureau for Defending the Land and Resisting Settlement revealed that the Israeli government continues to implement large-scale settlement projects in the occupied West Bank under the designation of "land settlement and registration," in violation of international law and threatening the Palestinians' land rights.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the Bureau's weekly settlement report affirmed that the Israeli government has allocated 244.1 million shekels to establish a mechanism for land registration and settlement procedures in Area C. The move could lead to the displacement of Palestinians from approximately 83% of the area if the lands are registered under state ownership when Palestinian landowners are unable to prove their ownership under the stringent conditions imposed by Israeli authorities.
The report pointed out that the decisions were issued by sovereign ministries-the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Defense-in a move that formalizes the colonial annexation process, aimed at seizing Palestinian land and expanding settlements. Notably, the Adam settlement (Geva Binyamin) northeast of Jerusalem includes plans to construct approximately 6,000 new housing units, along with infrastructure and public facilities development.
According to the report, the ongoing settlement expansion, land confiscation, and demolition activities across the West Bank governorates, including Jerusalem, Hebron, Salfit, Nablus, Ramallah, Bethlehem, and the Jordan Valley, involve the demolition of homes and agricultural and commercial facilities, land confiscation, preventing Palestinians from cultivating their lands, livestock theft, and the establishment of new outposts.
