On the 1st of February 2014, head of the Infrastructure department at the Israeli Civil administration, Abi’ad Kesfi (Zilberman), issued a new military order titled “Declaration on the use of confiscated land for military purposes No. 14/06/SH.M.S” and targets Salfit city land. The order states the confiscation of 0.805 dunums of land for “military purposes”. See copy of military order.
An analysis conducted by the Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ) of the military order showed that the Israeli Authorities are planning to confiscate the land in Salfit city according to military order No. 321 of the year 1969, concerning the Lands Law – Acquisition for Public Needs – which gives the Israeli military the authority to confiscate private land for public use (the meaning of public use is not defined) without providing any compensations to the affected party.
Additionally, the attached map shows that the military order comes for the rehabilitation and expansion of a section of an existing dirt road in Al Matwi area in Salfit, near a high voltage direct current station which provides Ariel settlement with electricity. Additionally, the dirt road is considered the only road leading to a Wastewater and recycled water treatment plant in the area which also serves Ariel settlement and Barqan’s block to the west. Note that the dirt road also constitutes a geographical link within the Ariel settlement bloc. itself. See Map 1 & image 1
Map 1: The dirt road (in yellow) connecting Ariel settlement with Barqan.
The map also shows the area targted by the military order.
Image 1: a closer look to the area targeted by the Military order
The Segregation Wall plan on land of Salfit
According to the latest revised route of the Israeli Segregation Wall in the occupied West Bank which was published on the Israeli Ministry of defense website on April 30, 2007, the Segregation wall will surround the Ariel settlement bloc. from all directions to annex it to Israel. Note that Ariel settlement is one among six Israeli settlements comprising the Ariel settlement bloc. which Israel plans to annex along with four other settlement blocs in the occupied West Bank to its proper.
Israeli settlement plans on lands of Salfi city
On the 9th of November 2010, the Israeli daily newspaper, Haaretz, revealed that the Israeli Government intends to build 800 housing new units west of Ariel settlement. The building plan holds No. 1/3/130 and aims at developing the open area west of Ariel settlement to create a geographical contiguity within the Ariel settlement bloc. At the same time, the plan will hinder the Palestinian urban expansion in the area.
Furthermore, the military order No. 14/06/SH.M.S” targets the same site of the building plan, which shows that Israel is preparing for a new construction in the settlement of Ariel and its environs; This is in addition to the construction of the Segregation wall which will isolate thousands of dunums of Palestinian land from its original owners.
Prepared by:
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem
