The Israeli occupation authorities continue to impose military measures aimed at seizing control of Palestinian land and depriving its owners of their livelihoods. These actions, presented under so-called “security pretexts,” reflect an expansive settlement policy with clear colonial objectives.
On Sunday, the occupation army issued a military order to bulldoze around 200 dunums of citizens’ agricultural land in the city of Tulkarem. The targeted area extends from the wastewater collection site west of the city, passing through Gate 104, and reaching the Beir al-Sabiha area near the village of Shuweika, north of Tulkarem.
The order stipulates that the demolition must be carried out within 24 hours of its issuance, granting landowners only a brief window to file objections. Such a timeframe highlights a deliberate policy designed to dispossess Palestinians of their lands in violation of international law and the most basic human rights.
According to the military decision, the measures will lead to the uprooting of trees and the alteration of the natural features of the land, particularly in the “Beit Heifer” area north of Tulkarem. These actions have no genuine security justification but are part of a settlement strategy to expand occupation control at the expense of Palestinian farmers.
This latest step threatens the livelihoods of dozens of agricultural families, intensifying the crisis of losing farmland, which is a vital pillar of the local Palestinian economy. Farmers now face greater restrictions on movement and access to their land.
Official Palestinian statements confirm that since the beginning of 2025, the occupation authorities have issued at least 22 military orders to uproot trees under various “security measures,” targeting an estimated area of 607 dunums in what has become an unprecedented escalation.
These decisions form part of a broader strategy aimed at stripping land from its indigenous Palestinian owners and imposing a new colonial reality. They constitute a grave violation of property rights and the fundamental right of Palestinians to live on their land. Taken together, the scope of these measures demonstrates a comprehensive strategy that threatens to undermine Palestinian existence in the West Bank.
