View of the Bedouin village of Ras al Auja whose residents were allegedly attacked by Jewish settlers and a number of sheep were stolen, north of Jericho, in the West Bank on June 23, 2024. (Photo: Nasser Ishtayeh/Flash90)
For the first time in Judea and Samaria, the state will allocate land it owns to private and unspecified entities for temporary use as “grazing land.” This was reported this morning (Thursday) on the “This Morning” program with Ilil Shahar on Kan Reshet Bet.
The allocated land, covering 2,394 dunams (592 acres, 239 hectares), is located in the Jericho area, near Ras Ein al-Auja, the largest Bedouin community in Area C, home to 130 families (about 600 people).
Established by the Oslo Accords in 1993, Area C comprises 60% of Judea and Samaria, internationally known as the West Bank, and is under Israeli civilian and security control.
Most of the Bedouin community is situated on privately owned, regulated land belonging to residents of the Palestinian village of al-Auja, with whom the Bedouins have an agreement. However, it is adjacent to state land that, according to a decision published by the Commissioner of Government Property and Abandoned Lands in Judea and Samaria (Israel Land Authority in Judea and Samaria), can no longer be used.
It should be noted that this does not involve the evacuation of the community but rather the allocation of their grazing land to private entities, significantly harming their livelihood, as many depend on sheep and goat herding. This step could lead to their departure from the area.
As residents told Kan News, over the past year – since the outbreak of the war in Gaza – they claim to have been harassed while on state lands, where they are still legally permitted to be present as of now.
When Kan News reached out to the Civil Administration, which published the decision, they stated that inquiries should be directed to the political leadership that made the decision, namely, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also serves in the Defense Ministry. However, no response was received from his office.
