Ghassan Daghlas, the Palestinian Authority official monitoring settlers’ activity in the northern West Bank, said that Israeli occupation authorities issued a military order to confiscate some 1,000 dunams (100 hectares) belonging to Palestinian farmers from the village of Jaloud, to the southeast of Nablus. Daghlas added that the order was signed by the commander of Israeli Army in West Bank.
The order stated the lands were confiscated for "military purposes and following security conditions that prevail in the region and the need to take steps to prevent terrorist operations." The order added that a military facility will be established on the confiscated lands.
Abdullah Al-Hajj Mahmoud, the head of Jaloud's Village Council, said that the Israeli occupation forces barred the Palestinian owners from reaching these lands since 2000. He added that the Israeli authorities decided to confiscate the lands under the pretext that they are located in the Area “C.”
Mahmoud added that the confiscation of the lands "will legitimize the settlements" notifying that "Israel built three settlements near Jaloud." He stressed that "the lands will be allocated for the expansion of the three settlements."
According to the Oslo Agreement, Area “A” is under Palestinian administrative and security control, Area “B” under Palestinian administrative control but under Israeli security one and the Area “C” is under full Israeli control. However, Israel "reoccupied" the three areas after its military operation "Defensive Shield" in 2002.
For the Palestinians, the settlement issue is one of major importance, and the Palestinian leadership decided on Oct. 2 to suspend the US-backed peace talks with Israel after the latter resumed construction in West Bank Jewish settlements.