Today (14.8.24), the Civil Administration released the blue line for the planned settlement of Nahal Heletz, which has yet to be established. The proposed settlement is located on the land of the Palestinian village of Battir, adjacent to the residents’ homes. About a month ago, the government set the jurisdiction for the settlement, on some 120 Dunams (30 acres). Today’s “blue line” which designates c. 600 dunams (150 acres) as “state land” adds to the initial 120 dunams in the jurisdiction another c. 500 dunams for potential development of the settlement. The entire area was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014. According to the UNESCO Convention on World Heritage Sites, which Israel has signed, it is forbidden to harm the heritage site of another country, even during wartime.
The establishment of Nahal Heletz was decided in a Cabinet meeting at the end of June 2024 as part of the establishment of five settlements, four of which are existing outposts.
The blue line represents the area that Israel has declared as state/public land. The delineation of the blue line is carried out by the Blue Line Team of the Civil Administration, and updating the blue line boundary is necessary to approve a construction plan (“Taba”). The publication of the blue line for Nahal Heletz creates a jagged area of 602.7 dunams, raising questions about how it is possible to construct a settlement in such a fragmented and irregularly shaped area (map attached below). Based on the settlers’ past experience, it is highly likely that parts of the land outside the blue line will be incorporated into the settlement, and Palestinians will be denied access to their land. As seen in the map, extraordinary efforts have been made to create a blue line for the intended settlement.
In the past, changes to the blue line of a settlement were not accompanied by a publication from the Civil Administration. However, following a petition by the organization Bimkom and Yesh Din, which argued that a blue line change is equivalent to a new declaration of state land and therefore requires the right of appeal, it was decided that blue line boundaries would be published, allowing for appeals to be submitted within 45 days of publication.
The pace of declarations of blue line boundaries and state land is unprecedented. Just last week (7.8.24), 116 dunams were declared as state land in the Migdal Oz settlement. The numerous declarations of state land and blue line boundaries for settlements are a result of the government’s policy to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state and to legitimize the settlement enterprise. This accelerated pace of declarations is largely enabled by the transfer of authority to Minister Smotrich as an additional minister in the Defense Ministry and the establishment of the Settlement Administration under his authority.
Peace Now: “Netanyahu and Smotrich are relentlessly advancing de facto annexation, blatantly disregarding the UNESCO Convention to which Israel is a signatory. This reckless pursuit will have dire consequences for everyone. The new settlement at Nahal Heletz will create an isolated enclave deep within Palestinian territory, inevitably escalating friction and security challenges. It is unconscionable that, merely two days after Fitch downgraded Israel’s economic rating and amidst one of the most volatile periods since the outbreak of this war, the Finance Minister and the Prime Minister remain fixated on expanding settlements in the heart of Palestinian communities. Their actions reveal a government that prioritizes settlement expansion over addressing our severe economic and security crises. This administration is wholly dedicated to advancing the settlement enterprise while completely neglecting the needs of both Israelis and Palestinians. This government must be held accountable and replaced – now.”
