Israel issues military orders seizing Palestinian land near Bethlehem
The orders cover land near the Efrat, Tekoa and Neve Daniel settlements and remain in force until the end of 2028.
Israeli authorities issued four military orders on Oct. 28 targeting Palestinian land in the Bethlehem governorate, the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission said.
The orders combine direct military control over specific routes and sites with the forced removal of trees around Israeli settlements, the commission said.
One seizure order, No. 147/26, covers 4.408 dunums of land in al-Khader, including a route extending 878 meters around the Efrat settlement that is linked to a planned tower project.
The route crosses agricultural terraces, placing a strip of farmland under military control, and the commission said its extension into farming areas has implications beyond the land it seizes.
A second seizure order, No. 164/26, targets 0.3 dunums, or 300 square meters, in Arab al-Ta'amra near the Tekoa settlement and concerns changes to the boundaries of security installations.
In Nahalin, security measures order No. 101/26 targets 0.968 dunums near the Neve Daniel settlement and requires the removal of pine trees and wild vegetation.
Both land seizure orders remain in effect until Dec. 31, 2028, giving Israeli authorities exclusive possession of the designated areas throughout that period, the commission said.
Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are considered illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this view.
