Israel confiscates 231 dunams from West Bank villages

Israel has issued new military orders to confiscate and ban the use of tens of dunams of the Palestinian land west of Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, Safa news agency reported yesterday.

A Safa correspondent said that yesterday morning; Palestinians found copies of the Israeli orders at the entrance of the Palestinian village of Rantis.

The orders included information telling the villagers that the Israeli army had confiscated 231 dunams from the villages of Rantis, Shuqba, Qibya and Badras for security reasons. They told the villagers to appeal against the decision or claim compensation.

According to Safa, the land which is being confiscated is located along the Separation Wall. The agency believes that it will be used to widen the Wall.

Other military orders sent to villagers in Rantis, Aboud and Shuqba ordered them not to build or continue building on the land near the illegal Israeli settlement of Beit Aryeh-Ofarim.

The orders told the villagers that the Israeli military ruler has the right to permit or ban construction work in the area along the border.

Several days ago, Israel confiscated 49 dunams from the village of Rantis. It said that it would widen the military area to the north-west of the town.