The Palestinian Authority’s Commission Against the Wall and Settlements announced that Israeli authorities have issued a military order to seize approximately 74 acres of privately owned Palestinian land in the Jabal al-Fureidis (Herodion) area east of Bethlehem.
According to the commission, the order targets land belonging to the Arab al-Ta’amra community and was issued under the stated justification of “expropriation for public purposes” and the development of an archaeological site.
The head of the commission, Mu’ayyad Sha’ban, said the measure represents the third land expropriation order issued by Israeli authorities since the beginning of 2026. He stated that the order forms part of what the commission describes as an accelerated policy aimed at expanding legal and administrative control over Palestinian land through military orders and administrative procedures.
Sha’ban said the latest order is the sixth expropriation measure affecting Palestinian archaeological or heritage sites in recent years. He cited previous actions involving sites in the governorates of Jericho, Salfit, Nablus, and areas north of Jerusalem.
According to the commission, these measures reflect an increasing use of archaeological and historical sites in land administration policies in the occupied West Bank. The commission argues that such actions contribute to broader settlement expansion and territorial control efforts.
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