Israeli Authorities Announce Largest Land Seizure in 30 Years

By Anthony W. Haddad

Published 7 months ago on

July 23, 2024

The West Bank city of Hebron was one of the first places Israeli settlers moved after Israel won the West Bank from Lebanon in the 1967 war. (AP/Ariel Schalit)

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On July 2, Israeli authorities announced its largest land seizure in more than three decades: nearly 5 square miles in the Jordan Valley, reported by Al Jazeera.

This move is part of a series of land grabs led by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who oversees settlement planning.

Since 1998, Israel has seized over 19.3 square miles of Palestinian land, according to the watchdog Peace Now.

Al Jazeera’s visual explainer details the historical context of land seizures, starting from the 1917 Balfour Declaration which facilitated Jewish immigration to Palestine. The 1948 Nakba resulted in the expulsion of about 750,000 Palestinians and the capture of 78% of the land. The 1967 Naksa saw Israel occupy all of historical Palestine and establish illegal settlements. The 1980 annexation of East Jerusalem and the 1993 Oslo Accords further altered the region’s dynamics.

In 2002, Israel began constructing a separation wall through the West Bank, further dividing Palestinian territories. Today, approximately 700,000 settlers live in around 300 illegal settlements across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Despite international condemnation, including the UN Security Council’s 1980 resolution declaring the annexation of East Jerusalem “null and void,” settlement expansion continues. This persistent land seizure and settlement growth underscore the ongoing struggles of Palestinians under occupation.

Read more at Al Jazeera.

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Anthony W. Haddad,

Multimedia Journalist

Anthony W. Haddad, who graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with his undergraduate degree and has an MBA at Fresno State, is the Swiss Army knife of GV Wire. He writes stories, manages social media, and represents the organization on the ground.