Israel to expropriate 275 acres near Hebron

The Israeli government issued a military order on Thursday to expropriate some 275 acres of farmlands that belong to Palestinian farmers near Hebron, Palestinian sources reported.

Palestinian News Network said that the order includes property in the village of Beit Ummar, the town of Halhoul and Al-Arroub Refugee camp north of Hebron.

According to a source of the Palestinian Land Defense Committee, the order was issued by what is called “Deputy Chair of the highest planning committee in .”

The order number 20-T/901 includes wide areas of land close to a highway 60, a bypass road used mainly by Israeli settlers.

Road 60 was built after Oslo agreement was implemented to allow Jewish settlers to travel to and from their settlements without going through Palestinian cities. This road, however is entirely built on land confiscated from Palestinian farmers.

Israeli sources said a warning announcement was published allowing Palestinians farmers two months to petition to the Israeli high court of justice against confiscating their land.  

Sources at the municipality of Halhoul said they never managed to stop from confiscating land even if they go to court.  The source added that this latest order will allow the army to expropriate 90 acres which brings the area of the confiscated land from the town up to 700 acres, of the best farm land in the town.

On the other hand, the military order will expropriate 175 acres In Beit Ummar, raising the total of the confiscated area to 1500 acres, most of it is agricultural land.

It is likely that this expropreiated land will be used to expand the Gush Etzion settlement bloc which is located on the northern part of Hebron district.

Israel plans to annex the Gush Etzion settlement bloc, which is built on expropriated Palestinian land, into Israel in a final agreement with the Palestinians.