Israel seizes 79 acres of Palestinian land in occupied West Bank

Israeli occupation authorities yesterday issued a military order to seize 320 dunums (79 acres) of Palestinian lands, to expand illegal settlements in the southern West Bank.

The Director of the Bethlehem Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission’s office, Hassan Brijieh, said the Israeli military order stipulated the confiscation of 320 dunums of land in the Bethlehem Governorate.

Brijieh explained that the land is located in the towns of Al-Khader, Nahalin and Artas, south ofBethlehem, and will be confiscated for the expansion of the illegal Israeli settlements of Neve Daniel, Elazar, and Efrat.

He added that the military order comes into effect within 30 days of its issuance.

Data from the Israeli human rights movement Peace Now indicates that there are about 666,000settlers, 145 large settlements, and 140 unauthorised outposts (unlicensed by the Israeli government) in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

International law considers the West Bank and East Jerusalem occupied territory, and all settlements and outposts there are illegal.

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