Israeli dozers have been operating day and night in laying foundation for new colonial residences in Halmish colony. Since the beginning of 2013, 9 colonial units have been added while 20 dunums of lands were leveled in preparation for further construction. The ongoing expansion will cost the Palestinians huge areas of agricultural lands as well as damaging biodiversity in the area.
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Picture 1-3: expansions in Halmish
Since the beginning of 2013, the Israeli Occupation Authorities published a number of tenders for adding structures to the colony. In October 1977, the Israeli Cabinet agreed upon the establishment of Halmish colony over the ruins of a Jordanian military camp which was abandoned in 1967.
A year later, the Israeli Occupation Authorities confiscated 600 dunums of Palestinian lands for that purpose in addition to hundred others that were captured over the years. Halmish area nowadays is 2510 dunums, inhabited by around 1300 colonists.
The establishment of Halmish resulted in the loss of over 1000 dunums of agricultural lands which caused drastic damage to agriculture and the economy of An Nabi Saleh. The rise of the Israeli right wing to power has accelerated colonial expansions in the West Bank; the last Israeli government was a government of "colonists" who supported colonization and capture of Palestinian properties.
They also offered colonists with support and protection throughout their aggressions against the Palestinians. Colonization is the most visible obstacle of peace but the Israeli refuse to even freeze it as it serves their "bigger" plan.
