Israeli officials lay foundation stone for Emek Dotan settlement in Jenin

Israeli ministers and Knesset members laid the foundation stone for a new settlement named “Emek Dotan” in the lands of Araba, southwest of Jenin. The ceremony included officials from the Northern West Bank settlement council and approximately 22 settler families.

Tariq Aghbaria, the settlement affairs official for the Jenin governorate, described the establishment of the new settlement as a "dangerous escalation targeting Palestinian land" intended to pressure citizens and force displacement. He stated that such projects violate international law and serve efforts to impose sovereignty over large areas of the West Bank, particularly in the north and Jenin governorate.

The new settlement is located in the Araba plains, a critical agricultural area for Jenin residents due to its fertile soil. The development follows an increase in Israeli administrative actions in the region, including land seizures, military road construction, and land bulldozing.