Ramallah, April 5, 2024: The head of the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, Minister Muayyad Sha’ban, stated that the Israeli occupation authorities and its colonizers committed 1224 attacks during March. 993 of these attacks were committed by the occupation army, while the colonizers committed 231 attacks. This is a continuation of a series of dangerous escalations in attacks that accompanied and took cover by the appalling aggression on our people in the Gaza Strip and the emergency laws that guarantee the occupiers to commit further crimes.
Sha’ban added that the violations documented by the Commission in its monthly report “The Israeli Occupation’s Violations and Colonial Expansion Measures” for March were concentrated in Nablus Governorate with 203 attacks, followed by Jerusalem Governorate with 193 attacks, then Hebron Governorate with 173 attacks.
He also pointed out that the Israeli occupation authorities have seized the largest area in over three decades, claiming it as state lands by declaring a total of 8,152 dunums of privately owned citizens’ lands in Aqraba, east of Nablus. He elaborated that this confiscation aims to expand the borders of the Yafit colony established on citizens’ lands in the region, which opens the way for further colonial expansion in the region, adding that the expansion will create geographical continuity between the colony and the so-called Jordan Valley Regional Council “Bakaat Herdin”, situated on the eastern border of the lands of Aqraba, adjacent to Sahl Fasayil. He noted that a notice was issued by the occupation's so-called “Civil Administration”, on March 17, 2024, which decided to extend the influence of the work of the so-called “Regional Council”.
He noted that in March, the planning authorities in the occupation state studied 8 master plans for the benefit of the occupied West Bank colonies, approving a plan related to the Efrat colony in Bethlehem Governorate and depositing 7 other plans. These plans aim to build 5,047 colonial units targeting 3,515 dunums of privately owned citizens' lands.
Mr Sha’ban added that the number of attacks carried out by the colonizers in March reached 231 attacks, resulting in the martyrdom of one citizen in Aqraba, east of Nablus Governorate. These attacks were concentrated in Nablus Governorate with 82 attacks, in Ramallah Governorate with 42 attacks, and in Hebron with 41 attacks.
He added that the significant increase in colonizers’ attacks in recent times reaffirms once again that colonizer militias defy international sanctions and the unprecedented international stance condemning the terrorism of the occupation state. He further stated that these militias aim to send a message to our people and the world that despite the international stance and sanctions, they persist in implementing the occupation's plans aimed at carrying out forced displacement, expelling the indigenous inhabitants, and seizing land. He added that the series of attacks has also led to the displacement of several Palestinian families, especially in the central Jordan Valley in the Ein al-Sakina area, to other locations.
Sha’ban stated that the colonizers’ attacks also led to the uprooting and burning of a total of 1,067 trees, including 798 olive trees, in the governorates of Bethlehem, Nablus, Tubas, and Ramallah.
He added that the occupation authorities carried out 30 demolition operations in March, affecting 42 facilities, including 13 inhabited homes, 2 uninhabited homes, 16 agricultural facilities, and others. These demolition operations were concentrated in the governorates of Jerusalem, Jenin, and Ramallah. Likewise, in March, the occupation authorities issued a total of 23 demolition notifications of Palestinian facilities, which were concentrated in the governorates of Qalqilya, Salfit, and Ramallah.