Israel confiscates Palestinian lands to expand illegal colonies In Bethlehem

Beit Jalah municipality

The International Middle East Media Centre reports:

The Israeli authorities in the occupied West Bank, issued three orders for the illegal annexation of Palestinian lands in Beit Jala city, Teqoua’ and Rashayda towns, in Bethlehem governorate, south of occupied Jerusalem in the West Bank.

Hasan Breijiyya, the coordinator of the Wall and Colonization Commission in Bethlehem, said the first Israeli order targets Palestinian lands in Basin 2 of the al-Makhrour area Beit Jala, west of Bethlehem, and are owned by residents from Beit Jala and al-Khader.  Breijiyya added that Israel wants to confiscate lands in that area to expand colonialist bypass road #60, linking between occupied Jerusalem and Gush Etzion colony, south of Bethlehem, which effectively means annexing hundreds of Dunams of Palestinian agricultural lands.

The second order targets lands in the Rashayda village, east of Bethlehem, and aims at expanding Maali Amos illegal colony.

The third order targets lands owned by the Palestinians in Teqoua’ village, east of Bethlehem, and aims at expanding Nokdim illegal colony.

Israel’s colonies in the occupied West Bank, including those in and around Jerusalem, are illegal under International Law and the Fourth Geneva Convention.

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