JNF plans large-scale settlement construction in Palestinian territories

Israel’s Jewish National Fund (JNF) is planning to build more settlements on occupied Palestinian territories by seizing more lands especially for agricultural projects.

The organisation’s new chairperson, Ifat Ovadia-Luski said the fund’s new projects include approving the establishment of 13 illegal settlements, in addition to buying large areas of agricultural land, and controlling more areas in the Negev, the Galilee, the Golan Heights and the Jordan Valley.

Ifat said these areas are the most challenging to seize by the Zionist movement.

In an interview with the Makor Rishon newspaper, Ifat said the Jewish National Fund’s work on the borders of the Gaza Strip aims to establish agricultural areas for security uses to help prevent exposure to Palestinian armed organisations, claiming these activities seek to achieve the Zionist project, while reducing gaps, and investing more in the settlers who live in the Negev and the Galilee.

“It is no secret that when settlers do not cultivate the land, Israel loses it, and this is the real Zionist challenge represented in making more agricultural projects,” she said.

According to the Israeli official, the JNF’s main tasks are to seize the occupied Palestinian lands, develop and build settlements and establish more projects in the water sectors.

“What takes the Israeli state ten years to build, the JNF builds within one year,” she added.

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