Follow-up – Al-Rashid
Israel confiscated about 800 dunams, or 197 acres, of land in the Jordan Valley, declaring it “state land,” meaning it can now be used for development projects.
The Kan public broadcaster reported that declaring ownership of the land to Israel would allow the construction of hundreds of settlement housing units, in addition to an area designated for industry and trade.
This move was supervised by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also holds the position of minister within the Defense Ministry.
Smotrich said that declaring ownership of the land to the state is “an important and strategic issue,” adding: “While there are those in Israel and the world who seek to undermine our right to Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) and the country in general, we are strengthening the settlement movement by working hard and strategically in All over the country.”
It is noteworthy that the Jordan Valley or Jordan Valley is a fertile plain with an area of about 400 square kilometers, located along the Jordan River, and its level ranges between 200 and more than 400 meters below sea level, reaching the Dead Sea, which is the lowest place in the world below sea level.
Israel sought to impose its sovereignty over the Jordan Valley. Some Israeli politicians have called for this idea since the beginning of the occupation of the West Bank in 1967, most notably within the Allon Plan in 1967 and Netanyahu’s plan in 2019 to annex the parts west of the river into the West Bank.
