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Record Israeli land grab fuels already soaring tension in the West Bank
By Serag El Hegazi, University of Bradford
Israel has reportedly approved its largest seizure of land in the occupied West Bank in over three decades, according to a report released on July 3 by Israeli anti-settlement watchdog, Peace Now. The seizure involves more than 12 sq km of land in a key corridor bordering Jordan.
Land that is privately owned by Palestinians in the West Bank can be declared as “state land” by Israel and subsequently seized. One of the primary outcomes is the establishment or expansion of Israeli settlements on the land, which are widely considered illegal under international law.
According to the Israeli authorities, the recent land seizure is necessary for “security and development”. However, a spokesperson for the UN, Stephane Dujarric, called it “a step in the wrong direction”, adding that “the direction we want to be heading is to find a negotiated two-state solution”.
The move follows a series of similar land grabs so far this year. Israel seized 2.6 sq km of land in the West Bank in February, and a further 8 sq km in March. These actions are part of a strategy to expand Israeli control of the West Bank and undermine the prospect of a Palestinian state.
There has been a massive expansion in the number of settlements over the past three decades. In 1987, there were 60,000 Israeli settlers living in the West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem). This had grown to 247,300 by 2005 and 465,400 by 2021.
These numbers look set to accelerate further. The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is heavily backed by a coalition of rightwing, ultranationalist parties. And many of its ministers have made the establishment of Israeli settlements in the West Bank a priority.
On June 28, far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich was quoted saying: “I will bring 1 million settlers. One settlement for every country that recognised Palestine as a state in the last month.
Read Full Story https://theconversation.com/record-israeli-land-grab-fuels-already-soaring-tension-in-the-west-bank-234326