Settlers Move into Eight Homes Near Jericho After Coordinated Purchases
Dozens of Israeli settlers entered eight houses in the West Bank village of Ein Diouk al-Tahta, near Jericho, following a secret purchase coordinated with the Binyamin Regional Council, prompting criticism from Palestinian officials and NGOs.
Dozens of Israeli settlers moved into eight homes in the West Bank village of Ein Diouk al-Tahta, adjacent to the Palestinian Authority-controlled city of Jericho, on Wednesday. The settlement was organized in cooperation with the Binyamin Regional Council and the Nachala Movement, which said the properties were legally purchased.
The homes are located in Area C, which is under Israeli military and civil control, but lie only meters from the Area A portion of Jericho administered by the Palestinian Authority. Peace Now, a group advocating a two-state solution, reported that around 30 settlers arrived at noon and noted unverified reports of violence. The organization warned that the new outpost could create security challenges for nearby Palestinian residents.
The Palestinian Authority’s WAFA news agency said settlers attacked Palestinians in the village on Thursday, wounding three people with pepper spray and beatings. Palestinian National Council head Rouhi Fattouh condemned the move as a seizure of property and accused it of violating international law.
The Nachala Movement rejected the seizure characterization, maintaining that the purchases complied with legal procedures. Palestinian law, however, treats the sale or lease of land to Israeli Jews as treason, a charge that can carry severe penalties.
Daniella Weiss, founder of the Nachala Movement, said the homes “mark the end of the Oslo Accords” and signal a new era. Settlement and National Missions Minister Orit Strock described the settlement as a continuation of efforts to reverse the Oslo process, while Binyamin Regional Council head Israel Ganz hailed the development as a return to Jericho.
Combatants for Peace, an NGO promoting Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation, alleged that the Israeli Defense Forces escorted the settlers into the homes and criticized the timing during the olive harvest season. The IDF later stated that the entry was carried out without prior coordination or permission from the military.