Violation: Establishment of a new colonial outpost.
Location: Sinjil Village, north of Ramallah.
Date of Violation: 02/12/2024.
Perpetrator: A group of settlers.
Affected Party: Several farmers from the village.

Description:

On the morning of Monday, December 2, 2024, a number of settlers established a new pastoral colonial outpost on the lands of Sinjil village, in the northern part of the village, known as the "Batn al-Halawa" area. This area is just a few meters away from a military camp belonging to the Israeli occupation forces.

It is noted that the land is classified as state land and is not currently used for agricultural purposes. However, the establishment of this outpost will threaten vast areas of olive tree-covered land around it by closing off the area and declaring it a military closed zone. As a result, dozens of farmers will be unable to access their lands in the vicinity of the outpost.

Dr. Mutaz Tawafsha, a researcher at the LRC, stated the following:

"We were surprised to see a group of settlers establishing a new pastoral colonial outpost on land classified by the occupation as state land, as it is close to an Israeli military camp and several colonial settlements. The establishment of this new outpost comes after the occupation closed off hundreds of dunams since October 7, 2023, and imposed a complete closure on the area, while giving settlers free rein to establish pastoral outposts there."

This new outpost is set up on an area of one dunam, consisting of a residential tent and a new mobile housing unit.

About Sinjil Village:

Sinjil is located 20 km north of Ramallah. It is bordered by the village of al-Lubban al-Sharqiya to the north, the villages of Abwein and Jaljulia to the west, the villages of Qaryut and Turmus Ayya to the east, and al-Mazra'a al-Sharqiya to the south. The population of the village was 5,236 in 2007. The total area of the village is 14,028 dunams, with 888 dunams used for buildings.

Israeli settlements have taken 551 dunams of the village’s land. The settlements are:

• Ma'ale Levona: Built in 1983, it took 298 dunams and has 497 settlers.
• Eli Settlement: Built in 1984, it took 253 dunams and has 2,058 settlers.
• The bypass road No. 60 has also taken over 246 dunams.

The village’s land is divided into three areas according to the Oslo Accords:

• Area A: 1,980 dunams (14% of the land)
• Area B: 4,140 dunams (30% of the land)
• Area C: 7,908 dunams (56% of the land).

Land confiscation is a violation of international law:

What settlers are doing in the occupied Palestinian territories by seizing Palestinian land and establishing or expanding settlements is a violation of the rights of the Palestinian people and their land. It also breaches international laws and norms. Below are some key texts from international laws and treaties that prohibit Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories, protect rights and properties in occupied areas, and include related United Nations resolutions.

Lahay Convention/ 1907:

• Article 46: The occupying power shall not confiscate private property.
• Article 55: The occupying power acts as the administrator of the land in the occupied country and must treat the property of the country as private property.

The Fourth Geneva Convention/1949:

• Article 49: The occupying power is not allowed to move its own citizens into the occupied territories or take actions that cause demographic changes.
• Article 53: The occupying forces are prohibited from destroying private, public, or collective property, or property belonging to any authority in the occupied country.
• Article 147: Destroying or seizing property without military necessity, on a large scale, and in an unlawful or arbitrary way is considered a serious violation.

[1] Source: LRC.

مشروع: حماية الحقوق البيئية الفلسطينية في مناطق "ج" SPERAC IV - GFFO

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of Land Research Center and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the project donor; the Norwegian Refugee Council.

إخلاء المسؤولية: الآراء ووجهات النظر الواردة في هذا التقرير هي آراء ووجهات نظر مركز أبحاث الأراضي ولا تعكس بالضرورة وجهات نظر أو مواقف الجهة المانحة للمشروع؛ المجلس النرويجي. للاجئين