Israeli Military Orders Confiscation of Agricultural Land in Southern Nablus Village

Israeli authorities issued an order to clear 33 dunams of land and uproot fruit trees in al-Lubban al-Sharqiya, citing settler security pretexts.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 11, 2026, 4:28 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Anadolu Agency

Targeted Land Clearing in Al-Lubban Al-Sharqiya

Israeli occupation authorities issued a formal military order on Friday, April 10, 2026, to clear approximately 33 dunams of agricultural land in the village of al-Lubban al-Sharqiya. Located south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, the targeted area sits at a critical junction of Palestinian rural life and Israeli infrastructure. According to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, the order specifically mandates the leveling of land used for traditional farming, effectively removing 8.1 acres from local control. This development follows a period of heightened territorial friction in the Nablus governorate, where land seizures have become a primary tool for altering the geographic landscape.

Destruction of Century Old Olive and Almond Groves

The confiscation order is particularly devastating for the local economy as it calls for the immediate uprooting of hundreds of fruit-bearing trees. Palestinian sources confirmed that the directive targets extensive groves of olive and almond trees, many of which have been tended by village families for generations. These trees are situated along the main road connecting Ramallah and Nablus, a vital artery for both Palestinian transit and Israeli settler movement. The loss of these groves represents not only a direct financial blow to the farmers of al-Lubban al-Sharqiya but also the erasure of cultural landmarks that define the agricultural plain of the village.

Security Pretexts and Proximity to Residential Areas

Residents were reportedly handed the demolition and clearing orders under the pretext of "providing security for settlers" who use the nearby regional roads. However, local community leaders pointed out that the affected land is situated in immediate proximity to the village’s girls' secondary school and several residential homes. The planned works extend across more than two kilometers of the village plain, creating a buffer zone that residents fear will permanently isolate their community from its primary source of income. This use of "security" justifications for land leveling is a recurring theme in the West Bank, often preceding the formal expansion of nearby settlement outposts.