Escalation in the West Bank: Israel's Largest Land Seizure in 30 Years
In the wake of the Hamas attacks on October 7, the Israeli government has approved the seizure of 1,270 hectares of land in the occupied West Bank. According to the Israeli organization Peace Now, this is the largest land seizure in thirty years. These territories, located in the Jordan Valley, were declared 'government property' by the Israeli authority in charge of land affairs in the Palestinian Territories.
This move marks a significant shift since the Oslo peace accords in 1993. The anti-colonization organization Peace Now stated, 'the year 2024 marks a peak in the extent of state land declarations.' Since the beginning of 2024, 23.7 km² have been officially seized by the Israeli government in the West Bank. On March 22, the government announced the requisition of 800 hectares of land for new colonies.
Political Motives Behind the Land Seizures
Middle East specialist Agnès Levallois suggests that the Israeli government is leveraging the situation in Gaza to advance its agenda in the West Bank. 'The Israeli government is taking advantage of the situation in Gaza to advance its pawns in the West Bank, because the ultimate goal is the West Bank,' she states. Since 1967, Israel has established settlements in these territories, which are illegal under international law and have been condemned by the UN.
Peace Now reports that 146 settlements have been established since 1967, housing 490,000 Israelis among three million Palestinians. The situation is volatile, with daily violence escalating since the start of the Gaza war. The settlers, though a minority, wield significant political power and consider the West Bank to be their rightful land. 'The objective is very clear, it is to scare the Palestinians away by making their lives impossible,' Levallois adds.
International Reactions and Peace Negotiations
The Israeli government's actions have drawn international criticism. Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Ede condemned Israel's decision to legitimize settlement outposts in the occupied Palestinian territories. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken described the settlement expansion as 'counterproductive to achieving lasting peace' with the Palestinians.
Despite the Israeli government's claims of supporting ceasefire negotiations, its expansionist policies in the West Bank tell a different story. 'The Israeli government appears to be hiding behind a smokescreen of so-called ceasefire negotiations, but all the while it is advancing in the West Bank,' Levallois explains. The Peace Now association argues that 'Netanyahu and Smotrich are determined to fight against the whole world and against the interests of the people of Israel for the benefit of a handful of settlers.'
- The Israeli government has also approved plans to build nearly 5,300 new homes in occupied West Bank settlements. The Israeli Supreme Planning Council agreed to expand settlements and give legitimacy to three settlement outposts: Mahaneh Gadi, Givat Hanan, and Kedim Arava.
- Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for a radical change in the Israeli concept of security concerning the West Bank and Gaza. He has advocated for intensifying settlement activities in the West Bank and rebuilding settlements in the Gaza Strip.
- Since the start of the war on the Gaza Strip, Israeli ministers have increasingly called for settlement expansion in the West Bank. Peace Now warns that the current Israeli government's actions are causing irreparable damage and undermining the security and future of both Israelis and Palestinians.
