The Applied Research Institute "ARIJ" said that the past eight months of the year 2020 witnessed a remarkable increase in the number of settlement plans issued by the competent Israeli authorities to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank.
These plans confirm that the silent annexation project of the Israeli occupation government is continuing in full swing despite the announcement of its postponement. The annexation is embodied in imposing Israeli law on the West Bank, specifically on "C" areas in the West Bank according to the 1995 Oslo Interim Agreement, and its settlements, outposts, military bases and resources. Natural, quarries, archaeological sites and water resources, which constitute about 61% of the area of ​​the West Bank. Perhaps the Israeli Civil Administration’s announcement several days ago of changing the features of about a hundred dunams of the eastern desert lands of Bethlehem, from desert lands to agricultural lands and a thousand dunams of western countryside lands, and converting them from "agricultural" to residential, is not the end of the day, and it also comes in the wake of Several plans were announced this year in thousands of dunams of West Bank land.
It should be noted that Israel was supposed to hand over the "C" areas in the occupied West Bank to the Palestinian National Authority at the end of the five-year transitional period, after dismantling the settlements and setting up political solutions for some of them. However, since the conclusion of the agreement, the occupation authorities have dealt with "C" areas as lands belonging to them - not as occupied lands that should belong to their owners - and considered them a separate and independent settlement reserve that has no relation to the rest of the West Bank or its legitimate original owners, and prevents or impedes any activity or It was developed by the Palestinians.
Settlement activities ...
With regard to settlement activities, the analytical study prepared by "ARIJ" showed that more than 60 settlement plans have been approved in dozens of settlements during the past eight months and are awaiting the start of implementation. The list issued includes: the settlements of "Kochav Yaqov", "Kfar Adumim" and "Geva Binyamin" in the Jerusalem governorate "outside the municipal boundaries", by 4,078 settlement units on an area of ​​2,294 dunums of Palestinian lands, which is the most affected governorate among the Palestinian governorates. In terms of the lands that will be seized for this purpose, followed by the Ramallah and Al-Bireh governorate, where the list issued includes: the settlements of "Beit El", "Dolev", "Talmon", "Beit Aryeh", "Hashmonaim" and "Hallamish" By 1592 settlement units on an area of ​​1,528 dunums of Palestinian lands, followed by Bethlehem Governorate with 1,305 settlement units that will be built on 1,794 dunums of occupied land in the settlements of Beitar Illit, Nikodim, Neve Daniel and Efrat. And an industrial zone in the "Beitar Illit" settlement. The plans also included a number of settlements in the Hebron governorate, namely: "Telem", "Asfar" (Metsad), "Shamaa", "Rikhalim" and "Ariel" in the Salfit governorate, and "Shilo" settlement in the Nablus governorate. Each of the settlements of "Maskiyot" and "Shdmot Mekhola" in Tubas governorate, "Mitzpe Jericho" and "Beit Haarfa" in Jericho governorate, "Sha´ar Tikvah" in Qalqilya governorate, and "Avni Hefetz" in Tulkarm. Beitar Illit, Nikodim, Neve Daniel, Efrat, and an industrial zone in the settlement of Beitar Illit. And “Rehalim” and “Ariel” in the Salfit governorate, and “Shilo” settlement in the Nablus governorate, and all of the settlements of “Maskiyot” and “Shdmut Mikhahla” in Tubas governorate, “Mitzpe Jericho” and “Beit Harfah” in the Jericho governorate and “ Tikvah slogan in Qalqilya Governorate and Avni Hefetz; In Tulkarm. Beitar Illit, Nikodim, Neve Daniel, Efrat, and an industrial zone in the settlement of Beitar Illit. The plans also included a number of settlements in the Hebron governorate, namely: “Telem”, “Asfar” (Metsad) and “Shama”. And “Rehalim” and “Ariel” in the Salfit governorate, and “Shilo” settlement in the Nablus governorate, and all of the settlements of “Maskiyot” and “Shdmut Mikhahla” in Tubas governorate, “Mitzpe Jericho” and “Beit Harfah” in the Jericho governorate and “ Tikvah slogan in Qalqilya Governorate and Avni Hefetz; In Tulkarm. And “Ariel” is in the Salfit governorate, and “Shilo” settlement is in the Nablus governorate. Each of the settlements of "Maskiyot" and "Shdmut Mekhola" in Tubas governorate, "Mitzpe Jericho" and "Beit Haarfa" in Jericho governorate, "Sha´ar Tikvah" in Qalqilya governorate, and "Avni Hefetz in Tulkarm". And “Ariel” is in the Salfit governorate, and “Shilo” settlement is in the Nablus governorate. Each of the settlements of "Maskiyot" and "Shdmot Mekhola" in Tubas governorate, "Mitzpe Jericho" and "Beit Haarfa" in Jericho governorate, "Sha´ar Tikvah" in Qalqilya governorate, and "Avni Hefetz" in Tulkarm.
According to the plans issued, the number of settlement units to be built in all the previously mentioned Israeli settlements is 7892 settlement units, on an area of ​​6,133 dunums of the occupied West Bank.
