The issue of land ownership in the West Bank has recently been on the Israeli public agenda following a High Court ruling that the settlement outpost of Migron must be dismantled, as it is located on privately-owned Palestinian land. In response the government decided to move the residents of Migron to a new site located on what is referred to as “state land.” However, a new report by the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem calls into question this distinction between private land and state land in the West Bank. Under the Guise of Legality examines Israel’s policy of declaring state land in the West Bank. B'Tselem's research reveals that large swaths of land have been classified state land and designated for use by settlements, despite the fact that they belong to Palestinian individuals or communities.
Press Release
http://www.btselem.org/press_releases/20120314_under_the_guise_of_legality
Full Report - 51 pages
http://www.btselem.org/download/201203_under_the_guise_of_legality_eng.pdf
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