The Israeli government is planning to illegally confiscate 100 Dunams of Palestinian lands, in Salfit district, in the northeastern part of the occupied West Bank, to build a college and many colonialist units, in addition to planning two railroad lines.
Jamal al-Ahmad, the coordinator of the Committee for Defending Salfit Lands, stated that Israel wants to build a technical campus belonging to “ORT Israel” college, in addition to constructing 250 colonialist units on Palestinian lands in Masha and az-Zawiya villages, west of Salfit.
Al-Ahmad added that Israeli is also planning two railroad lines on Salfit lands, to link the colonies in the area with Tel Aviv, and that Israel is constantly expanding its industrial areas on the expense of the Palestinians and their land.
Talking to Maan News al-Ahmad said that Salfit is subject to most of Israel’s illegal colonialist activities, especially since it is comprised of 204 square/Kilometers, and most of its lands (%74.5) are in Area C of the West Bank, and complete Israeli civil and military control.
There are 18 Palestinian communities in Salfit, with 72.000 inhabitants as shown by statistics of the Palestinian Census Bureau in its 2016 survey, while the number of illegal Israeli colonists in the area Is around 55.000, in addition to 15.000 students studying in Ariel colony college.
Israel has 28 colonies in Salfit, including Industrial Zones in Ariel, Buchanan, Ze’ev, Emanuel and Carnie Shomron, while their chemical waste is devastating the Palestinian agricultural lands, in addition to the serious environmental damage.
Al-Ahmad stated that all Palestinian communities in Salfit are constantly suffering due to the ongoing and escalating Israeli violations, and are becoming more isolated and fragmented, surrounded by illegal colonies and army bases.
“The world needs to know what Israel is doing; the ongoing theft of Palestinian lands, the isolation of Palestinian communities, in addition to all crimes and violations of International Law, the Fourth Geneva Convention, and all related agreements.” He said.
He also stated that the strategic aim is ongoing resistance to Israel’s violations, especially its colonies, and that the current focus is on trying to find support for prosecuting Israel, preventing the annexation of Palestinian lands, and helping the villages.
“We are trying to provided free legal support to the villages, and to provide them with saplings and agricultural tools; this is meant to help them rehabilitate their lands and surveying all lands close to the illegal colonies, especially since Israel keeps working on expanding them,” Al-Ahmad stated, “Israel’s crimes and violations must be exposed to the whole world; they are escalating to a very dangerous level, isolating entire communities, and stealing the lands, the only sources of livelihoods, from their Palestinian owners.”
