'Israel' announces seizure of 24,000 dunums of West Bank land
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The declaration represents nearly half of the land usurped under the title of "state land" since the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993.
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A housing construction site on the edge of the Israeli West Bank settlement of Eli, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024 (AP)
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has announced the seizure of 24,000 dunums (approximately 5,930.5 acres) in the occupied West Bank, classifying them as "state lands", according to the Palestinian Information Centre.
The Israeli Channel 14 described the move as a "dramatic" development that is expected to impact regional planning and reshape the area.
“At the right time, today we completed a complex process to announce 24,000 dunums of new state lands in the West Bank,” Smotrich indicated.
“This process creates a settlement sequence, builds land reserves for Israel to develop settlements, infrastructure and roads, and guarantees that we will continue to strengthen the settlements, and we are here to stay,” the Israeli Minister added.
In a post on X, Smotrich emphasized that "more than 23,000 dunams of land for the benefit of the settlement in Yosh."
"We determine facts on the ground and thwart the establishment of a Palestinian state!”
Channel 14 explained that the illegal Israeli settlement of Ma’ale Adumim, located east of occupied al-Quds, will be expanded by approximately 2,600 dunums (642 acres) to the south, creating a settlement chain linked to the illegal settlement of Kedar.
Additional expansions are planned for illegal settlements such as Migdal Oz and Susya in the southern West Bank, as well as Yafit in the Jordan Valley, the media outlet noted.
This declaration represents nearly half of the land usurped under the title of "state land" since the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993, the Middle East Monitor highlighted.
Smotrich pledges West Bank 'annexation' in 2025
In November, Smotrich announced his commitment to "annexing" Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank by 2025, seeing Donald Trump's return to the US presidency as "an important opportunity."
"The year 2025 will be, with God's help, the year of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria," he said, using the biblical name for the West Bank, which "Israel" has occupied since 1967.
Smotrich, whose portfolio also includes responsibilities within the Israeli Security Ministry, said he had initiated preparations for "applying sovereignty" over Israeli settlements.
Addressing parliament, he mentioned directing the director of settlement affairs in the Security Ministry and the so-called Civil Administration to "prepare the necessary infrastructure for sovereignty."
Smotrich congratulated US President-elect Donald Trump on his "incredible and sweeping victory," suggesting it presents "an important opportunity" for "Israel".
"During his first term, President Trump led dramatic moves," he noted.
These included recognizing "Israel’s" sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, relocating the US embassy to occupied al-Quds, and brokering normalization agreements between "Israel" and several Arab nations, known as the "Abraham Accords".
Before the accords, "Israel" had planned to "annex" major settlement blocs in the occupied West Bank, a plan postponed as the agreements were formalized.
"We were on the verge of applying sovereignty over the settlements in Judea and Samaria," Smotrich said. "Now is the time to do it."
He indicated plans to work closely with the incoming US administration on this issue.
It is noteworthy that in July, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared "Israel’s" occupation of the West Bank and the eastern part of al-Quds as “illegal,” calling for the dismantling of settlements and reparations to be made to Palestinians.
Read more: Smotrich calls for occupation of Gaza, cutting its population by half
