Violation: expansion of Shilo colony
Location: Qaryut village- Nablus
Date: 15/05/2015
Perpetrators: Shilo colonists
Victims: residents of the village
Details:
The southern suburbs of Nablus city has been lately witnessing a new colonial attack that aims at expanding the Israeli colonies founded in the area. This is also to say that a vast area of lands will be confiscated as a result.
The ravaging works conducted by colonists are reported to be funded by the Israeli government itself; these works are not first of a kind but more intense than any other time. According to the field follow up of Land Research Center, more than 60 dunums have been ravaged for the sake of expanding Shilo colony and annexing new residential units and infrastructure.
The targeted area is located within the isolated lands by the apartheid wall; the lands are reported to be adjacent to the colony and that they were taken through military orders under the claim of “Security Purposes” during 2002. Later on, the lands became under the control of colonists.
Photo 1: the expansion of Shilo colony
With time, the so-called Regional Council of the West Bank Settlements, in coordination with Planning and Construction Committee- Israel Civil Administration, issued a master plan for Shilo colony. This step was made done through giving the colony the lands that were confiscated for security purposes.
Shilo had the great share from colonial expansion plans and tenders for construction of residential units. Last tender was reported in 2013 to build 1250 residential units; the plan has been recently implemented.
About Qaryut:[i]
Qaryut is located 20 kilometers to the south east of Nablus city; a 4.5 km road connects the village to Nablus-Jerusalem road, the road has been closed by the Israeli Occupation Authorities since 2000. Its total area is about 8,471 dunum, 312 dunums of residential areas. Around 2,321 people currently live in the village. The Israeli Occupation Authorities expropriated about 1,332 dunums for the expansion of the following colonies:
- Shilo: established in 1978; its share of Qaryut lands was about 779 dunums and the residential area of the settlement is about 1,347 dunums.
- Eli: established in 1984. It devoured 553 dunums of the village lands. Its built up area is 3,360 dunums.
[i] Source: Geographic Information System- Monitoring Israeli Violations Team- Land Research Center
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
