TULKARM, September 14, 2025 (WAFA) – The Israeli occupation military issued a new order on Sunday mandating the bulldozing of approximately 200 dunums of Palestinian-owned agricultural land in Tulkarm, in the northern West Bank, according to local sources.

The targeted land stretches from the sewage collection basins west of Tulkarm, through the area near the Israeli Netzani-Oz checkpoint, and extends to the Bir al-Sikka area, adjacent to the Shweika neighborhood north of the city.

The military order includes the uprooting of trees and clearing of land, allegedly for the purpose of "protecting" the nearby Israeli settlement of Bat Hefer, north of Tulkarm. The justification provided falls under what Israel describes as "security measures," though rights groups say such actions are part of a broader settlement expansion policy disguised as security concerns.

The order stipulates that implementation will begin within 24 hours, allowing landowners only a brief window to file objections.

Officials warn that this move threatens the livelihoods of dozens of Palestinian farmers, whose lands are located in the affected areas. It also marks another escalation in Israel’s efforts to consolidate control over agricultural lands in the occupied West Bank.

According to Amir Daoud, Director General of Publishing and Documentation at the Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, the Tulkarm order is part of a growing trend. "Since the beginning of 2025, the occupation authorities have issued 22 military orders to uproot trees under the pretext of security measures," Daoud said in a statement.

He added that these orders have targeted a total area of 607 dunums, marking an unprecedented rise in land confiscation efforts disguised as military necessities.

M.N