Largest Land Seizure in West Bank in Three Decades
Israel has approved the largest land seizure in the occupied West Bank in over thirty years. According to the Israeli non-governmental organization Peace Now, the Israeli authorities have declared 1,270 hectares (12.7 square kilometers) of land in the Jordan Valley as 'government property.' This move marks the most significant land appropriation since the Oslo Accords were signed in 1993.
Impact on Israeli-Palestinian Relations
The decision has been met with strong opposition from various quarters. Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, described the move as 'a step in the wrong direction,' emphasizing the need for a negotiated two-state solution. Peace Now labeled the seizure as a 'provocation,' noting that Palestinians lose their right to ownership or use of land declared as 'state land.' The organization also criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for prioritizing the interests of settlers over broader peace efforts.
International Reactions and Consequences
The international community has also voiced concerns. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called the expansion of settlements 'counterproductive to achieving lasting peace.' The United Nations has reiterated that Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are illegal under international law and are major obstacles to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The recent land seizure is expected to exacerbate tensions, especially amid ongoing violence between Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
- The Israeli government has not publicly commented on the latest land seizure. This move comes as violence and tensions between Palestinians and Israelis in the West Bank have increased due to the Gaza war between the Israeli army and Palestinian Hamas.
- Around 490,000 Israelis live in settlements in the West Bank, among some three million Palestinians. The Palestinian Authority administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank but is prohibited from operating in 60% of the territory, where settlements are located.
- The Oslo Accords, signed in 1993, aimed to find a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, the acceleration of settlement expansion under successive Israeli governments has made achieving a two-state solution increasingly difficult.
