New Land Confiscation Order in Beit Jala City

The Israeli Authorities issued on March 16, 2006, a new military order to confiscate lands for the construction of the Segregation Wall in Beit Jala city. The military order holds number (62/06) and confiscates 178 dunums of lands of Beit Jala. The confiscated area is only for the route of the Segregation Wall while, in reality, the order will cause the isolation of vast areas of Palestinian lands behind it (north of the planned section) once it is fully constructed. See Map 1

A number of Palestinian families (listed in table 1) will lose their lands as a result of this military order, they are:

Table 1: Palestinian Land Owners affected by Military order number (62/06)

 The Military order, as shown in the attached map, will link two previously issued military orders together, military order number (36/04 (A)) and military order number (36/04 (B)). Those two military orders were issued on August 12, 2004 and stated the confiscation of 66 dunums of lands for the construction of two wall sections in the same area. See Copy of military orders (36/04 (A)) & (36/04 (B)) 

Military order (36/04 (A)) & (36/04 (B))

(36/04 (A)

(36/04 (B))

All Together, these three military orders (62/06), (36/04 (A)) and(36/04 (B)) will be linked to another previously issued, military order number (01/06/T), which was issued on January 29, 2006 and stated the confiscation of 9 dunums of land for the construction of two sections of the Segregation Wall on both sides of the Tunnel road (Road # 60). See Copy of military order  

Military Order number (01/06/T)  

Beit Jala city and the Israeli Colonization activities following the 1967 war  

Beit Jala city extends over 14,337 dunums of land, where about 22% of the city's area, 3,147 Dunums, were annexed to the unilaterally Israeli declared Jerusalem municipal boundary following the 1967 war. The city of Beit Jala has also been a target of the of Israeli colonization activities following the 1967 war where two Israeli settlements, of what is considered 'pioneer settlements' in occupied West Bank, were built on the expense of Beit Jala city lands, Gilo settlement; established in 1971 and houses a total population of 30,200 settlers (area today is 2730 Dunums) and Har Gilo settlement, established in 1972 and houses a total population of 371 settlers (area today reached 414 Dunums). 

Conclusion

The group of military orders is lining up the route of the Segregation Wall as planned in the updated Wall map of February 20, 2005, which was published on the Israeli Ministry of defense website. Once completed, it will cause the isolation of vast areas of Palestinian agricultural lands located to the north and northeast of the urban community of Beit Jala and will limit the expansion of the community towards the open extensions.  . Once completed, it will cause the isolation of vast areas of Palestinian agricultural lands located to the north and northeast of the urban community of Beit Jala and will limit the expansion of the community towards the open extensions.  

References:

• Israel remodels wall sections in Beit Jala City .

• The Strangulation of Beit Jala City.  

Prepared by:  
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem