The Israeli occupation authorities issued a new military order numbered 139/26 in late October, commanding the uprooting of almond trees and destruction of vegetation across more than 37 dunams in the towns of Dura and Tarqumiya in Hebron Governorate, southern West Bank. The targeted areas stretch along a route approximately 7.5 kilometers long, including Khirbet Deir Samet, Jabal Al-Saadi, and Wadi Khuzaym in Dura, as well as lands in Tarqumiya.
The order obligates landowners to carry out the removal and uprooting themselves within seven days from the date of a field inspection set by the Israeli Coordination Liaison Office. Failure to comply grants the military commander the authority to enforce removal by designated parties. The order also imposes a restrictive legal objection period of only seven days following the inspection, constraining farmers' ability to legally defend their lands.
Human rights sources view this action as a direct assault on the agricultural and environmental landscape, depriving Palestinians of their fundamental rights to utilize their lands. The Israeli military justifies the order citing "security measures," yet these serve as a pretext to alter the facts on the ground. The damage extends beyond official figures, impacting the productive value and the historical attachment of the farmers to their lands.
Although the order does not explicitly transfer land ownership, its severe impact lies in altering the terrain and inflicting substantial harm on Palestinian farmers. This move reportedly paves the way for further Israeli settlement expansion and forms part of a systematic policy aimed at undermining Palestinian presence in the area.