Israel’s recent declaration of seizing 800 hectares (1,977 acres) of Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank marks a significant move in the region’s enduring conflict, coinciding with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Tel Aviv. This seizure, announced by Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, is the largest since the 1993 Oslo Accords, according to the Israeli settlement watchdog group Peace Now.
Finance Minister Smotrich stated, “While there are those in Israel and the world who seek to undermine our right over the Judea and Samaria area and the country in general, we are promoting settlement through hard work and in a strategic manner all over the country.” This bold claim underscores the current Israeli government’s stance on settlement expansion, despite increasing international opposition.
Hamza Zubiedat, a land rights activist with the Ramallah-based Ma’an Development Center, explained the potential implications of this move, saying, “If Israel confiscates land around Jerusalem, all the way to the Dead Sea, there will be no future for a Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem.”
Additionally, Palestinian authorities have decried the land seizure as part of an “official policy racing against time to annex the West Bank and eliminate the possibility of creating a Palestinian state.” The land transfer also threatens to sever the geographic continuity of the West Bank, which could have profound effects on the daily lives and economy of the Palestinian people, especially those residing in the south.
This provocative timing aligns with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the war in Gaza and the future of Israeli-Palestinian relations. It is noteworthy that this announcement transpired amidst a delicate diplomatic backdrop, as international efforts to rekindle a two-state solution continue alongside attempts to quell the near six-month war in Gaza.
Apart from the annexed east Jerusalem, these areas currently accommodate over 490,000 Israeli residents, coexisting with approximately three million Palestinians. “While there are those in Israel and the world who seek to undermine our right over the Judea and Samaria area and the country in general, we are promoting settlement through hard work and in a strategic manner all over the country,” Israel’s extreme-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Friday.
Relevant articles:
– Israel announces largest West Bank land seizure since 1993
– Israel seizes 800 hectares of Palestinian land in occupied West Bank, Al Jazeera English, Fri, 22 Mar 2024 21:32:04 GMT
– Israel unveils big West Bank land seizure as Blinken visits, FRANCE 24 English, Fri, 22 Mar 2024 15:59:08 GMT
– Israel announces seizure of 800 hectares in West Bank – DW – 03, DW (English), Fri, 22 Mar 2024 17:50:37 GMT