Israeli Authorities Seized West Bank Land for Kibbutz

By Carolyn Abdenour
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

JERUSALEM, Israel – The Israeli authorities seized 365 acres of Palestinian land in the West Bank for Kibbutz Merivav, an agriculture community located inside Israel.  Israeli authorities have annexed land in the West Bank for Jewish settlers for decades, but the seizure of land for communities in Israel is unprecedented.

Construction of a new Israeli settlement unit. (Photo Courtesy of Ma'an News)

The Israeli authorities seized the tract of land from Bardaleh, a West Bank Palestinian village.  The village is located on the Israeli side of the Separation Barrier, a combination of fences and concrete walls designed to protect Israel from Palestinian attackers.  Some Palestinian farmland remains on the Israeli side of the Separation Barrier, and Palestinians will cross the barrier to tend to this land.

Although Kibbutz Merivav has tended to the land for years, Israel has just recently publicly stated the land belongs to Israel.  Palestinians fear this seizure will create a new precedent for West Bank land located on the Israeli side of the Separation Barrier.  The Separation Barrier has carved into 375 acres of Palestinian territory.

Guy Inbar, the Israeli military spokesperson, assured the people that although the kibbutz annexed the land, the seizure did not intent to establish a precedent.  However, Bardaleh villager Mohammed Sawafta reported the kibbutz started scaring the villagers off the land in the 1980s while the Israeli military prevented the villagers from gaining access to the land once the kibbutz began tending the land.

The Israeli government also planned to meet with construction prospects to develop 2,230 settlement units in the West Bank and East Jerusalem last week.  The Palestinian Authority strongly condemned Israel’s new settlement plans.  The Palestinian Authority Cabinet argued the public bids for new settlement properties “are a blatant example of Israel’s unilateral actions and noncommittal to international laws and understandings.”  The Palestinians called for the international community support to halt settlement activity and reiterated peace talks will only begin once Israel ceases building new settlements.

Throughout the Palestinian communities, this Jordan Valley land seizure dominated their news coverage.  The Israelis consider the seized land as absentee property, which Israeli authorities can allocate for settlement activities.

Research and activist against Jewish settlement in the West Bank Dror Etkes said, “Eventually, Israeli communities on the Israeli side of the Green Line will likely take land from Palestinians in the West Bank. . . .  It seems to be almost inevitable.”  The Green Line is the cease-fire line established prior to the 1967 Mideast War.

For more information, please see:

CBS – West Bank Land Seized by Israeli Kibbutz – 19 Nov 2011

Palestine News and Information Agency – Newspapers Review: Israeli Annexation of Jordan Valley Land Dominates Dailies – 19 Nov 2011

Press TV – Israel Continues to Confiscate Lands – 19 Nov 2011

Ma’an News – PA Cabinet Condemns Settlement Plans – 18 Nov 2011

Author: Impunity Watch Archive