Jericho:West Bank settlement activities have evolved beyond the traditional establishment of settlements and have taken on more complex forms, including infiltration into Palestinian communities. This strategy involves controlling real estate and homes and exploiting legal complexities surrounding land ownership to create irreversible realities.
According to Palestine Info Center, the village of Al-Diyuk Al-Tahta, located west of Jericho, witnessed settlers seizing eight Palestinian homes on November 4. This action, reportedly led by the Nachala settlement movement, has sparked concerns about the settlement project extending into the city’s geographic fabric.
The incident underscores the strategic choice of location and the political implications accompanying it. Al-Diyuk Al-Tahta is situated about two kilometers from Jericho's center, within Area C, which is under Israeli civil and security control as per the Oslo Accords. The settlers' presence in these homes could potentially serve as a focal point for expanding control over adjacent lands, imposing additional restrictions on resident movements, and altering the nature of the area.
The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the settlers entered the homes following a secret purchase operation by the Nachala settlement movement, in collaboration with the Binyamin Settlement Council. The purchases were allegedly conducted in cash with existing title deeds before the settlement families moved in. However, a spokesperson for the Israeli army denied prior coordination or authorization for the settlers to enter the homes, highlighting discrepancies in narratives regarding the operation.
The Palestinian Land Authority issued a clarifying statement after conducting a field inspection of the properties in question. The inspection revealed that Plot 14 is state property, while Plot 24 belongs to its historical owners under registrations predating 1967. The authority emphasized that any disposition of state property without a legal basis represents an assault and that actions under occupation do not confer legal rights.
This incident forms part of a broader context of accumulated attacks in Al-Diyuk Al-Tahta and surrounding areas, including property seizures, demolition notices, and attempts to control land. Concerns have been raised that seizing these houses could be part of a cumulative process aiming to establish a settlement presence in the area, which carries significant geographic and political implications for Jericho and its residents.
The operation's implications extend beyond the immediate location of the houses, given Jericho's historical and political significance. Establishing a settlement presence near Palestinian residential areas could create new security frictions, threatening the security and property of residents.