Palestinian Authority Builds Illegal Neighborhood West of Separation Barrier in Area C
The Palestinian Authority has constructed an illegal residential neighborhood in the village of Barta'a, located in Area C of the West Bank, which is under full Israeli control. This neighborhood lies west of the Israeli separation barrier, about 360 meters from the Jewish settlement of Katzir. The complex includes four buildings with dozens of apartments, a mosque, industrial and commercial structures, all built without permits on state-registered land.
Since the Oslo Accords, half of Barta'a has been under full Israeli sovereignty, while the other half, Area C, remains under Israeli control but without sovereignty. The separation barrier was built on the eastern side of the town, placing the new neighborhood in Area C but west of the barrier, creating an enforcement vacuum. Israeli authorities inside the Green Line lack jurisdiction in the West Bank, and the Civil Administration does not enforce regulations west of the barrier, allowing the neighborhood to be completed without intervention.
The Israeli NGO Regavim has repeatedly contacted enforcement agencies over the past eight months, but no action was taken as the neighborhood expanded, including the start of commercial and industrial activities such as a poultry factory and grocery store. Regavim plans to file an administrative petition in the Jerusalem District Court against the Defense Minister, officials in the Ministry of Defense, the Central Command, the Civil Administration, and the Israeli Police, demanding immediate demolition of the illegal neighborhood and a criminal investigation into the developers.
In addition, Regavim and the Shomron Regional Council have filed a petition against illegal construction and development of a new residential complex and horse farm east of Tayibe and near the settlement of Sela in Area C, also west of the separation barrier. This geographic discrepancy between the barrier and the political map creates a large enclave neglected by enforcement authorities on both sides of the Green Line.
Shomron Regional Council head Yossi Dagan condemned the situation, stating that the enclave has become a lawless area where offenders build without hindrance, posing a direct security risk to residents. Regavim's director for Judea and Samaria, Roy Drucker, emphasized the injustice and immediate security threat posed by the illegal construction so close to Katzir.
