Martyr in Ramallah and Escalating Settlement Targeting Salfit with 342 New Units

A Palestinian youth was martyred by Israeli occupation forces' bullets on Sunday evening, during clashes that erupted in the town of Deir Jarir, east of Ramallah city in the occupied West Bank. Field sources reported that the occupation forces fired live ammunition at the youth, causing fatal injuries from which he died, amidst an escalating pace of military incursions into Palestinian towns.

In the southern West Bank, an elderly Palestinian man sustained head injuries after a brutal attack by armed settlers on the town of Surif, northwest of Hebron. Local sources confirmed that a group of settlers, armed with sticks and batons, attacked citizens' homes in the Khallet Ghneim area, causing injuries among residents and damage to property.

Regarding settlement activities, the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission revealed that the occupation authorities have begun implementing a plan to build 342 new settlement units on Salfit Governorate lands. The commission clarified that the so-called 'Israel Land Authority' issued a formal tender for the construction of multi-story buildings within the 'Ariel' settlement, which was forcibly established on citizens' lands.

Reports indicated that this settlement project had received final approval in May of last year, but the issuance of tenders at this time represents an actual transition to the construction phase. The period for receiving bids for this project is scheduled to continue until the end of next August, threatening to confiscate more geographical areas in the northern West Bank.

In the context of systematic attacks, settlers released herds of cows and sheep into Palestinian agricultural lands in the Yatta and Bethlehem areas. These practices caused damage to vast areas of fruit trees and seasonal crops, in an attempt to pressure Palestinian farmers and displace them from their pastoral lands.

Also in the field, occupation forces arrested four citizens during raids that included Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, and a workshop in the village of Immatin, east of Qalqilya. These incursions involved thorough searches of homes and facilities, and intimidation of peaceful residents, as part of the ongoing arrest campaign that has affected thousands of Palestinians in recent months.

In Jenin Governorate, occupation authorities distributed military notices to stop work and construction in several Palestinian facilities located in the eastern part of the city. The notices did not specify the nature of these facilities, but they come within the framework of the policy of demolition and prevention of Palestinian urban expansion in areas classified as 'C' according to the Oslo Accords.

The towns of Sinjil and Deir Abu Da'if witnessed widespread military incursions, where occupation vehicles roamed the streets and alleys amidst the firing of sound bombs and tear gas. These synchronized military movements aim to strengthen the occupation's security grip on the main road axes connecting the various West Bank cities.

Official statistics indicate that the West Bank has been in a state of turmoil since October 2023, with attacks by the army and settlers resulting in the martyrdom of 1181 citizens. Medical teams also recorded injuries to nearly 13,000 Palestinians with varying degrees of severity, amidst ongoing military operations targeting infrastructure and refugee camps.

The 'Ariel' settlement, targeted for new expansion, is one of the largest settlement blocs that Israel seeks to connect to the Israeli interior geographically and demographically. Observers believe that strengthening construction in this settlement aims to cut off geographical communication between the northern West Bank governorates and undermine the chances of establishing a contiguous Palestinian state.

For its part, the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission warned of the danger of the new tenders, considering them evidence of the Israeli government's insistence on imposing a new reality on the ground. The commission called on the international community to intervene immediately to stop these projects, which violate international law and lead to the exacerbation of already volatile field conditions.

These developments coincide with an escalation of settler attacks that have taken on an organized character under the protection of the occupation army, especially in rural and marginalized areas. Palestinians in these areas face daily challenges to preserve their lands and livelihoods amidst a policy of confiscation, demolition, and direct assault on individuals and property.

The new settlement project reflects the occupation government's transition from the stage of paper approval to actual implementation on the ground through the issuance of tenders.