Israeli orders removal of vegetation, trees from nearly 340 dunams of Palestinian land in occupied West Bank

Israel has issued three military orders to remove wild vegetation and uproot trees from 339 dunams (83.8 acres) of Palestinian land in the northern and central West Bank, a Palestinian commission said Tuesday, Anadolu reports.

One order targets 178.71 dunams (44.2 acres) of land in Jenin and Qabatiya in the northern West Bank and calls for the removal of wild vegetation and olive trees, the Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission said in a statement.

“The order gives landowners seven days to file objections, but the period begins after the measure is implemented rather than beforehand,” it added.

Another order targets an additional 128.77 dunams (31.8 acres) in Jenin and Qabatiya and gives landowners 12 hours to remove wild vegetation and olive trees, the commission said.

“The order also limits the period for filing objections to 12 hours after the tour,” it said.

In the Ramallah and Al-Bireh governorate, a third military order targets two areas in the town of Beit Rima covering 15.137 dunams (3.7 acres) and 16.401 dunams (4.1 acres), with a total of 31.538 dunams (7.8 acres).

About 10 dunams (2.5 acres) of the targeted area in Beit Rima overlap with land classified as Area B under the Oslo Accords, while the order calls for removing wild vegetation, olive trees and other trees, the commission said.

Under the 1995 Oslo II Accord, which was intended as an interim arrangement, the West Bank was divided into Areas A, B and C. Area A is under full Palestinian control.

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Area B is under Palestinian civil control and Israeli security control, while Area C is under full Israeli control and makes up around 60% of the West Bank.

“The danger posed by the orders extends beyond the size of the targeted areas to the nature of the measures, which allow rapid changes to the land and the removal of vegetation and trees under a ‘security’ designation,” the commission said.

“The short deadlines, particularly the 12-hour period, significantly limit landowners’ ability to object before damage occurs,” it said.

“Maps attached to the orders show that contiguous blocks of agricultural land are being targeted,” the commission added.

It called for field monitoring to determine the number of trees affected, identify properties falling within the orders’ boundaries and assess the impact on Palestinians’ ability to access and use their land.

The orders come as farmers prepare for the olive harvest season, which usually begins after mid-October and is considered one of the most important agricultural seasons in Palestinian towns and villages.

Last month, the Israeli army issued military orders to remove trees and vegetation from around 310 dunams (76.6 acres) of land in Jenin governorate, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.

Since Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip began on Oct. 8, 2023, the Israeli army and occupiers have intensified attacks across the occupied West Bank, involving killings, arrests, displacement, the bulldozing of agricultural land, home demolitions and illegal settlement expansion.

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