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Israel Targets Historic West Bank Site for New Settlement
Israel intends to take over sections of a significant historic site in the West Bank, as stated in a government paper, while settlers established a new settlement during the night, despite the nation being urged to address settler violence within the Palestinian territory.
The Israeli Civil Administration revealed its plan to take over significant portions of Sebastia, a key archaeological location in the West Bank, according to a document shared with The Associated Press on Thursday. Peace Now, an organization that monitors settlement activities, stated that the area covers approximately 1,800 dunams (450 acres) — marking Israel's biggest acquisition of historically valuable land.
The action followed Israeli settlers' celebration of the establishment of a new, unapproved settlement close to Bethlehem, while a Palestinian attorney reported that a West Bank activist has been arrested and taken to a hospital.
In the meantime, Human Rights Watch stated that Israel might have committed war crimes by forcibly removing 32,000 Palestinians from three West Bank refugee camps this year.
Israel to take control of large parts of the Sebastia historical site
An Israeli order issued on November 12 outlines plots of land the government plans to take over in the Sebastia region. Peace Now, which shared the document with AP, stated that the well-known archaeological site, where thousands of olive trees are cultivated, is owned by the Palestinians.
The capital of the ancient Israelite kingdom, Samaria, is believed to lie under the remains of Sebastia, with Christians and Muslims holding the view that it is the site where John the Baptist was buried.
In 2023, Israel revealed intentions to transform the location into a tourist spot. Excavation work has already started, with the government setting aside over 30 million shekels ($9.24 million) for the site's development, as reported by Peace Now and another advocacy organization.
The directive allows Palestinians 14 days to raise objections against the announcement.
The biggest piece of historical land that had been taken over by Israel was 286 dunams (70 acres) in Susya, a village located in the southern part of the West Bank, according to Peace Now.
Colonists launch a new unauthorized settlement just days following a Palestinian assault
Israeli settlers claimed they set up a new illegal settlement near Bethlehem. Yaron Rosenthal, chairman of the local Etzion settler council, praised the establishment as a "return to the city of our matriarch Rachel, of King David." Rosenthal stated that the new community would "enhance the bond" between Etzion and Jerusalem.
The recent Israeli attack on Palestinians in the West Bank may have prompted the establishment of a new outpost. It is located near a major intersection where, on Tuesday, Palestinian assailants stabbed one Israeli to death and injured three others.
Rosenthal insisted that Israel take a stronger and more supportive stance towards the settlements.
He stated, 'Terrorism is driven by the hope of a state,' linking the violence to the Palestinian Authority and a renewed initiative aimed at promoting Palestinian statehood.
Hamas did not take credit for the attack, but in a declaration referred to it as "a standard reaction to the occupation's efforts to eliminate the Palestinian movement," promising that Israeli violence would not remain unanswered.
Hagit Ofran, who leads the settlement monitoring initiative at Peace Now, stated that the outpost is located on land that previously served as an Israeli military base. Images shared by settlers on the internet depict temporary residences at the location along with bulldozers in operation.
Israel occupied the West Bank, eastern Jerusalem, and Gaza — regions that the Palestinians assert as part of a potential future state — during the 1967 conflict. It has established more than 500,000 Jewish residents in the West Bank, primarily in settlements that are considered illegal, along with over 200,000 additional people in disputed eastern Jerusalem.
The Israeli administration is led by extreme-right supporters of the settlement movement, such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who shapes policies regarding settlements, and Cabinet member Itamar Ben-Gvir, who is responsible for the country's police force.
The president of Israel and senior military leaders have criticized a new surge of extremist violence in the West Bank.
A Palestinian activist has been arrested and taken to a hospital.
A Palestinian activist who recorded incidents of settler violence in the West Bank has been taken into custody and admitted to a hospital, according to his lawyer speaking to the AP on Thursday. Riham Nasra mentioned that the activist, Ayman Ghrayeb Odeh, was hospitalized following his arrest at a military facility in the Jordan Valley.
"Israeli officials are not disclosing his location, his health status, or the reason for his hospitalization," she stated.
The Shin Bet, Israel's intelligence agency, verified that the activist has been arrested on charges of incitement. Odeh might be subjected to indefinite administrative detention, a form of punishment that does not involve formal charges or a trial, and is based on confidential evidence.
His sibling, Bilal Ghrayeb, informed AP that he had a short conversation with Odeh right after his arrest while he was staying with a Palestinian family in the Jordan Valley. His brother mentioned that the military took Odeh's phone and that he has not been in contact with him since.
"He is an activist who shares images and expresses his views on social media regarding current events. He is not encouraging any action. He is not concealing anything, there's nothing hidden. He is simply stating and posting what he observes about the lives of people in the Jordan Valley," Ghrayeb stated.
Human Rights Watch claims that Israel has committed war crimes in the West Bank.
Human Rights Watch stated that senior Israeli officials, such as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and Defense Minister Israel Katz, should face investigation for alleged war crimes. According to a report released on Thursday, the organization claimed that the Israeli military forcibly removed 32,000 Palestinians from three West Bank refugee camps this year.
Human Rights Watch stated that Israel's military operations in refugee camps located in the northern part of the West Bank during January and February represented the greatest level of displacement in the area since Israel took control in 1967.
Israel has stated that its forces will remain in certain camps for a year, and it is unclear when, or if, Palestinians will be able to return. Thousands of displaced Palestinians are staying with family members, squeezing into rented apartments, or residing in public buildings.
Human Rights Watch stated that it reviewed satellite imagery and determined that over 850 homes and structures were either destroyed or severely damaged. The Israeli defense forces claimed they were targeting militant facilities and creating room for military operations.
Israel stated that the "Operation Iron Wall" raids were essential to eliminate militancy in the West Bank following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which triggered the conflict in Gaza. On Thursday, it reported that soldiers destroyed explosive laboratories and engaged in gunfire with militants during the operations. In a statement, it mentioned that militant attacks have dropped by 70% in the West Bank, although no proof was presented.
Human Rights Watch stated that Israeli officials did not clarify the reasons for evicting all individuals from the camps or the grounds for preventing their return. The report mentioned that the military fired upon residents trying to re-enter the camps and has not offered shelter or humanitarian aid to those displaced.
"Amid global focus on Gaza, Israeli forces have committed war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing in the West Bank, which require investigation and prosecution," stated Nadia Hardman, a senior researcher on refugee and migrant rights at Human Rights Watch.
The findings were derived from conversations with 31 Palestinians who were forced to leave the Tulkarem, Nur Shams, and Jenin refugee camps.
The camps look like crowded, city-like slums and house millions of Palestinians. Human Rights Watch stated that it examined satellite images of the camps and discovered that over 850 homes and structures have been destroyed or severely damaged.
The Israeli defense forces have informed AP that part of the destruction targeted militant facilities, while another part was aimed at creating more room for smoother military movement within the camps.
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