Land confiscations and settlement expansion are continuing in the Bethlehem district. In Nahalin, Occupation forces have confiscated another 20 dunums from the village. Also, it has been announced that 1,700 dunums have been declared state land to facilitate the expansion of the Efrat settlement.
On 28 January 2009, around 20 dunums of land was confiscated from the village of Nahalin and classified as âstate land.â The targeted area is located in the north part of the village, to the east of the settler road that also cuts through the villages of Husan and al-Khader.
The lost land is agricultural and used to grow olives, grapes and figs as well as grain and barely. It belongs to four residents of the village and their families, who use the crops to produce flour, oil, and food for livestock.
âAli Taha, a member of the village council, stated that Occupation forces are continually grabbing more territory from the village and declaring it state land.
At least 25 military orders have been issued since 2005 reclassifying and confiscating land.
In addition 1,700 dunums of land will be used for the expansion of the Efrat settlement, south of Bethlehem city. The confiscated land will be eventually used to expand the settlement to a nearby hilltop, with a planned addition of 2,500 housing units.
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