The Israeli Occupation authorities released a scheme to expand “Asfer” settlement on confiscated lands from Sa’ir and Ash-Shuyukh north east Hebron.
The Israeli Ministry of Finance posted on their website in January 20th 2020 detailed plan number (1/2/414), and gave the chance for whoever feels affected by this plan to object within 60 days from the posting date.
The scheme targets lands in the following natural blocks:
number |
town |
Natural block |
Location |
1 |
Sa’ir |
20 |
Qinan Al-Waseela |
2 |
Ash-Shuyukh |
8 |
Ard Al-Majales |
Qinan Faqout |
The plan in case implemented will devour (198.32 dunums), and change lands allocation from agricultural into “Residences and public facilities” , the expansion will take place to the west of the settlement.
The following table shows distribution of lands:
number |
usage |
Area / dunums |
1 |
Residential/category A |
6.25 |
2 |
Residential / category A3 |
4.55 |
3 |
Residential / category B |
10.59 |
4 |
Residential / category C |
24.83 |
5 |
Buildings |
12.94 |
6 |
Buildings and public facilities |
15.16 |
7 |
Open public area |
68.84 |
8 |
Suggested road |
55.16 |
Before that, In April 2020, the occupation authorities released a plan to expand “Asfer” settlement , the scheme was issued by the civil administration- infrastructure department , the plan added to the area of the settlement 3590 dunums as a reserve for colonial expansion.
The occupation authorities claim that the lands where the expansion will take place are governmental properties. Noteworthy, the Israeli Occupation authorities grab Palestinian lands under claims that they belong to the Israeli government , then they keep it as a colonial reserve for the future expansion of their illegal settlements.
“Asfer” illegal settlement is built on confiscated Palestinian lands since 1983, it is continuously expanding, and its settlers carry out daily attacks against herders and farmers in the surrounding Palestinian communities.
Recently, the occupation authorities demolished several structures in the nearby Palestinian community of “Khirbet Joret Al-Khail” , and notified several other buildings , with the intention to empty the area from its residents and keep it as a colonial reserve for future expansions.
The Land Research Center
LRC