The Israeli army has recently handed an abandoned military base built on Palestinian land near Dura village, to the south of the southern West Bank city of Al-Khalil, to be used by Zionist settlers.

Abdul Hadi Hantash, a Palestinian settlements expert, said that the base belonged to the Jordanian army during its presence in the West Bank before being taken over by the Zionist army in 1967 and turned to Engineering Faculty, and that the Israeli War Minister Ehud Barak handed it to settlers last Friday after being evacuated, in order to establish "Adorim" settlement on an area of ​​more than 100 acres belonging to Palestinian families.

In a statement to "Quds Press" Agency, Hantash revealed that the occupation has issued three years ago, a decision to evacuate the base, and kept only one building that it re-restored more than once claiming that it will use the area to build fire or ambulance stations. However, the area was handed officially to be used by the settlers.

Hantash warned of the serious outcome of the establishment of a Zionist settlement amid Palestinian populated areas since it will result in continuous attacks by the settlers.

He also said that he expected the area will witness an expansion of settlements and seizure of Palestinian lands. Thus, there is fear that the occupation would take control over it.

Hantash added that the lands located next to the settlement have recently witnessed large-leveling operations and the demolition of water wells and agricultural ponds, aiming to push the Palestinians to leave the area so to facilitate taking full control over it.

PIC/AB