BETHLEHEM, August 30, 2026 (WAFA) — Israeli colonists today continued leveling large areas of land in the town of Nahalin, west of Bethlehem, to expand the illegal settlement of Beitar Illit, built by force on Palestinian-owned lands.

A local source told WAFA that the land-leveling works were carried out in the areas of Wadi al-Jamala and al-Kabarat, located below the fence of the Beitar Illit settlement and opposite the town, with the aim of expanding the settlement's fence at the expense of privately owned lands belonging to residents of Nahalin.

The source added that the ongoing works are being carried out under the direct supervision and responsibility of the settlement administration, rather than being individual acts by colonists. This threatens to permanently seize dozens of dunums of land and puts the landowners at risk of losing their properties.

The source also said that colonists established a new settlement outpost a week ago in the Jabal Ain al-Faqiya area of Nahalin, in addition to demolishing several Palestinian homes as part of a previous order targeting 14 homes and structures across several areas of the town. The owners had pursued legal proceedings, and stop-work and demolition notices had been issued against the properties.

K.T