Land Research Center

The Israeli Occupation authorities bring forward a scheme to expand “Talmon” colony on confiscated lands in Ramallah governorate.

The Israeli Ministry of Finance on its internet website deposited outline no (235/12) attached to a copy of the scheme, and claimed that those who find themselves affected may object within 60 days, starting from August 3^rd 2020.

The targeted area is 377 dunums of woodland located to the north of Talmon settlement, the targeted lands are located in the following natural blocks:

• Part of natural block (1) in: Ras Al-Mughur , Wad Al-Beer , Abu Zaitoun of Ras Karkar village lands.
• Part of natural block (5) in: Ash-Shaikh Issa location of Al-Muzra’a Al-Qibliya lands.
• The new outline will change Plan (RJ-5) , which is one of the British mandate’s land settlement which categorized most of the West Bank lands as agricultural lands. The Israeli Occupation changed those lands from agricultural to residential, in order to build residential units, open public places, facilities and roads for illegal colonists.

The Following table contains the outline’s analysis:

The Occupation claims that the targeted lands are at the disposal of the “Responsible on Governmental and Absentees properties”. In fact, these are private Palestinian lands , illegally confiscated under false pretenses.In case this outline was implemented, it will link Talmon illegal colony to Talmon B, and create a massive colonial cluster that will suffocate the surrounding Palestinian communities.

The Israeli Occupation Authorities announced several outlines for colonial expansionist projects, for more information read LRC report:

Israel’s Occupation Authorities give validity for three master plans for Talmon colony in Ramallah

Ras Karkar:[1]

15 kilometer north west of Ramallah, It is about 500 m above sea level, and has a total area of 5,050 dunums, of which 330 dunums are a built up area.

Ras Karkar is surrounded by Deir ‘Ammar (north), Kafr Ni’ma and Deir Ibziq (south), Al Jania (east), Bani Harth (west).

Ras Karkar has a population of 1956 people according to statistics conducted by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics in 2017.

The Israeli occupation devoured more than 32 dunums of the lands of the village for Talmon C colony which was built in 1989. Moreover, bypass number ‘463 took over 295 dunums of the village lands.

According to Oslo Accords, 19% of Ras Karkar is under Area B (PA has full civil and security control) while most of the village lands (81%) is under Area C (Israel maintains full security and administrative control). Here is the area in dunums:

Area B (940) dunums

Area C (4110) dunums

About Al-Mazra’a Al-Gharbiya (Al-Qibliya):

It is located 12km to the northwest of Ramallah city. The village is edged by Abu Shkeidim area from the north, Talmon colony from the west, Abu Qash village from the east, and Ein Qiniya village from the south.

The village has a total land area of 15,275 dunums, of which 1165 dunums are the built-up area. Around 5000 people inhabit the village (2014).

The Israeli occupation confiscated around 329 dunums from the village’s lands to establish the colonies of Nahliel (1984) and the colony of Talmon (1989).

Also, the bypass road number 450 confiscated 75 dunums from the village.

According to Oslo lands classifications, the village lands are as follows:

• 8533 dunums are area classified “B”
• 6742 dunums are area classified “C”

About “Talmon” settlement:

Talmon settlement cluster was first established on Aj-Janiya village lands in 1989 , occupying an area over 300 dunums , and about 500 m from the village, the occupation authorities built another settlement and named it “Talmon B” , which meant confiscating the plots where the settlements are built in Al-Mazra’a Al-Qibliya and Aj-Janiya. In 1992 , the occupation authorities built another settlement 200 m away from “Talmon B” on lands in Al-Mazra’a Al-Qibliya , Aj-Janiya , Ras Karkar and Deir ‘Ammar confiscated in 1980 and was named “Talmon c” . Talmon is populated 4723 settlers until the end of 2018.

Legal Feedback:

Security council resolution related to settlements expansion:

The Geneva Fourth convention relative to the protection of civilian persons in the times of war:Security council resolution 242 year 1967:   Withdrawal of Israel armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict; and Termination of all claims or states of belligerency and respect for and acknowledgement of the sovereignty, territoial integrity and political independence of every State in the area and their right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force.

Security council resolution 446 year 1979: Determines that the policy and practices of Israel in establishing settlements in the Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied since 1967 have no legal validity and constitute a serious obstruction to achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East;

Security council resolution452 year 1979: the resolution once again denounced Israel's settlement activities in territories occupied in 1976 including (East) Jerusalem, this activity constituting a violation of the Fourth Geneva convention, and called on Israel to cease planning and construction of settlements

Security council resolution 465 year 1980: calls to dismantle the existing settlements and in particular to cease, on an urgent basis, the establishment, construction and planning of settlements in the Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem; Calls upon all States not to provide Israel with any assistance to be used specifically in connexion with settlements in the occupied territories;

Security council resolution 478 year 1980: Censures in the strongest terms the enactment by Israel of the "basic law" on Jerusalem and the refusal to comply with relevant Security Council resolutions,Those States that have established diplomatic missions at Jerusalem to withdraw such missions from the Holy City.

This report was prepared with EU funding

The Contents of this document do not reflect position sand views of the European Union