Israel Seizes 5,800 Dunams Near Jerusalem for Settlement Expansion
Occupied Jerusalem –
Israeli authorities have issued a new military order to seize approximately 5,856 dunams of Palestinian-owned land northeast of Jerusalem, including 5,254 dunams belonging to the town of Anata, in one of the largest land confiscations this year.
Most of the seized land lies around the Anatot settlement, with additional portions in the towns of Hizma and Al-Eizariya. Military maps indicate that Israel intends to annex these areas as part of the controversial E1 settlement plan, aiming to link eastern Jerusalem settlements with western Jerusalem, effectively separating northern from southern West Bank territories.
Experts on settlement policy see the move as part of the “Greater Jerusalem” project, which seeks to impose a new geographic reality by establishing a Jewish urban center while restricting Palestinian growth and demographic expansion.
Human rights organizations warn that these confiscations represent clear violations of international law, executed on occupied land protected under the Fourth Geneva Convention, forming part of a systematic policy to remove Palestinian presence from the city’s eastern outskirts.
Residents of Anata expressed deep anger, highlighting that the land is vital for their livelihoods, mainly agricultural, and that its confiscation further isolates the town.
A local community leader stated: “The occupation is squeezing us from all sides, demolishing our homes, preventing building permits, and now taking our remaining land.”
This latest measure underscores Israel’s continuing efforts to redraw Jerusalem’s boundaries beyond 1967 lines, amid muted international responses limited to condemnatory statements.
