Israel Seizes 24,000 Dunams of West Bank Land in Major Settlement Move
Occupied West Bank (Quds News Network)- Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has announced the seizure of 24,000 dunams of land in the occupied West Bank. The land, reclassified as “state land,” will be used to expand settlements, develop infrastructure, and build new roads for Zionist settlers.
Smotrich described the decision as a significant step in strengthening Israel’s control over the West Bank. “Today, we completed a complex process to designate 24,000 dunams as new state lands,” he said. “This step ensures settlement growth, infrastructure development, and guarantees our presence here forever.”
The process involves reclassifying land as public property by claiming it has no private ownership. This designation allows Israeli authorities to allocate the land for settlement construction and other projects.
Reports indicate that several settlements will see immediate benefits from the move. In Ma’ale Adumim, 2,600 dunams will be added to the settlement’s southern area, connecting it to the nearby Kedar settlement. Migdal Oz will nearly double its size, with 281 dunams allocated for 500 new settlement units. In southern Hebron, the settlement of Susya will gain 109 dunams for educational and industrial facilities. Meanwhile, the largest expansion will occur in the Jordan Valley, where the settlement of Yafit will receive more than 20,000 dunams.
This step is one of the largest Israeli land seizures since the Oslo Accords. It significantly increases the fragmentation of Palestinian territory. The move has been widely criticized for undermining Palestinian rights and accelerating settlement activity in the occupied West Bank.
