Israel Orders Vegetation Removal from West Bank Land

Israeli authorities issued three military orders on Tuesday to remove wild vegetation and uproot trees from Palestinian land. The directives affect 339 dunams in the northern and central West Bank, according to a Palestinian commission statement released this week.

One order targets 178.71 dunams in Jenin and Qabatiya. It mandates the removal of wild vegetation and olive trees near the former Kadim settlement. Landowners are given seven days to file objections, but this period begins only after implementation.

A second order affects an additional 128.77 dunams in the same northern towns. This directive gives landowners just 12 hours to remove vegetation and olive trees. The time limit for filing objections is also restricted to 12 hours after the site tour.

In the Ramallah and Al-Bireh governorate, a third order targets two areas in Beit Rima. These plots cover 15.137 and 16.401 dunams respectively. The total area affected in this town amounts to 31.538 dunams of agricultural land.

Approximately 10 dunams of the targeted area in Beit Rima overlap with land classified as Area B. Under the Oslo Accords, this zone is under Palestinian civil control and Israeli security control. The order calls for removing various trees.

The commission stated that the danger extends beyond the size of the targeted areas. The measures allow rapid changes to the land under a security designation. Short deadlines significantly limit the ability of owners to object before damage occurs.

Maps attached to the orders show that contiguous blocks of agricultural land are being targeted. The commission called for field monitoring to determine the number of affected trees. They also seek to assess the impact on Palestinian access to their land.

These orders arrive as farmers prepare for the olive harvest season, which usually begins after mid-October. Last month, similar military orders were issued for around 310 dunams in Jenin. Attacks on land have intensified since October 2023.