Israeli settlers seized eight empty homes near Jericho on Wednesday, Palestinian security sources told WAFA, while the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission warned a separate land designation could tighten control over Palestinian property.
The homes were in al-Duyuk al-Tahta, west of Jericho. The sources said the settlers forced the doors open and stayed inside. WAFA also reported Israeli forces entered Jericho and its refugee camps that evening, with military vehicles moving through the city. The agency said earlier home incursions in al-Duyuk al-Tahta had taken place amid settlement expansion in the area.
In a separate development, the commission said Israeli authorities issued a declaration on Nov. 3 designating 2,536.44 dunams belonging to Beitillu, al-Mazra'a al-Qibliya and Deir Ammar as “state property.” The parcels are near the Kerem Reim settlement, northwest of Ramallah. The notice invokes Military Order No. 59 of 1967, which concerns government property.
The commission said the designation could strengthen links among settlements in the Talmonim bloc and enable authorities to control the land and allocate parcels later. It warned those outcomes could affect farming, the villages’ development, land reserves and residents’ access to property. The commission also pointed to herding outposts, saying they extend settlement control beyond built-up areas.
People claiming rights to the affected land have 45 days from publication to challenge the declaration, the commission said.
