Israel has approved the biggest land seizure in the occupied West Bank in more than 30 years, according to the media reports.
The decision is likely to escalate tensions amid ongoing war in Gaza. The latest land seizure includes the appropriation of 12.7 square kilometers (nearly 5 square miles) of land in the Jordan Valley.
The recent appropriation is the largest since the 1993 Oslo accords. The decision, finalised late last month but only revealed on Wednesday, follows the seizure of 8 square kilometers (approximately 3 square miles) in March and 2.6 square kilometers (1 square mile) in February.
The combined actions have made 2024 a peak year for Israeli land seizures in the West Bank. The appropriated land is contiguous and situated northeast of Ramallah, the administrative center of the Palestinian Authority.
By designating these lands as state property, the Israeli government has opened them up for leasing to Israelis and therefore prohibiting private Palestinian ownership.
The expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank is viewed by Palestinians as the primary obstacle to a lasting peace agreement.
Most of the international community also considers these settlements illegal or illegitimate. Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem during the 1967 war, territories that Palestinians seek for a future state.
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