On 19 September, the Occupation military issued a military order confiscating 22 dunums of land in southern Yatta with the aim of setting up concrete barriers along the settler road. The day prior, Occupation soldiers announced that tens of dunums in the southern part of the Yatta had been transformed into a closed military zone.
Yatta resident Muhammad Khalil Mahmoud Abu Qubah, who is living close to the settlements Mazadot Yahuda and Lasir, was informed that 22 dunums of land would be confiscated. The Occupation authorities intend to construct concrete barriers along parts of the settler road 80, which comes north from the Naqab into Yatta land and serves the southern settlements. Lands from Khirbet Imneizil, Haribat an-Nabi and Wadi al-Khalil were stolen for the path of the road.
In addition, Occupation forces closed tens of dunums of lands belonging to residents of Khirbet Susiya for the use of the nearby Suseya settlement outpost. Soldiers have prohibited the owners and shepherds from entering the area. Nasar an-Nawajâa al-Maqim and his family, who live in Khirbet Susiya, explained that this military order prohibits the residents from accessing about 150 dunums, primarily in to the north and west of the settlement.
This military closure includes about 30 meters of land that are currently inhabited by residents of the district and also prohibits Palestinians from accessing 13 local water wells. This new development is the latest in a series of military orders that have confiscated almost 1250 dunums of land from the south Hebron communities, slowly tightening the Occupationâs stranglehold on the area.