Israeli authorities have issued a military order to confiscate approximately 30 hectares of Palestinian land near Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, according to a Palestinian official.
Moayad Shaaban, head of the Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, stated that the land in the Jabal Al-Fureidis area is being taken under the justification of public use, specifically for the development of an archaeological project. He described the move as part of a broader strategy to expand territorial control through administrative and legal mechanisms.
Shaaban noted that this is the third land seizure order issued by Israeli authorities since the beginning of 2026. He also highlighted that an additional 17.1 hectares in the same area were previously declared state land in 2024.
He warned that targeting archaeological and heritage sites is not only about land acquisition but also about reshaping cultural and historical narratives in the region, which he said supports settlement expansion efforts.
According to the statement, these measures are part of a wider pattern of actions in Area C of the West Bank, which remains under Israeli administrative and security control under the Oslo II Accord.
The report also references increased Israeli military and administrative activity in the region since October 2023, including casualties, arrests, and displacement reported by Palestinian authorities amid ongoing tensions.
NEWS DESK
PRESS UPDATE