Palestinian ‘Land Day’ Marked Amidst Escalating Zionist Abhorrent Atrocities
BY: Dr. Hana Saada
ALGIERS- Today, March 30th, is commemorated annually as “Land Day” by Palestinians, tracing its origins back to 1976 when Zionist occupation forces seized large swathes of Palestinian land. Each year, Palestinians mark this day through various events and activities as a symbol of their ongoing resistance against displacement and oppression.
This year’s commemoration comes amidst a backdrop of relentless Zionist aggression, particularly the brutal ongoing war on Gaza since October 7th, 2023, and escalating settlement expansion in the West Bank.
The criminal entity’s devastating onslaught on Gaza has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties, predominantly children and women, along with a humanitarian catastrophe and extensive infrastructural damage. Consequently, the Zionist entity faces charges of genocide before the International Court of Justice.
Since the outbreak of the war on the besieged enclave, Zionist forces have intensified raids and arrests in the West Bank, leading to confrontations with Palestinians. These clashes have left 454 martyrs and around 4,750 wounded, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
The Land Day Protests of 1976: Palestinians Resist Israeli Land Seizures
In 1975, the Zionist government unveiled a plan to annex the Galilee region, intending to construct residential settlements on land owned by Palestinians, who constituted the majority in the area. This plan was part of a project dubbed “Galilee Development” by Zionist authorities.
On February 29, 1976, the government approved a decision to seize 21,000 dunams (1 dunum = 1000 meters squared) of land belonging to Palestinians in the towns of Sakhnin, Arraba, Deir Hanna, and Arab al-Sawaid. the Zionist entity earmarked these confiscated areas for the construction of additional settlements.
Anticipating Palestinian resistance, Zionist authorities imposed a curfew in villages where land seizures had occurred starting from 5 p.m. on March 29 of that year. They deemed any demonstration protesting the seizures unlawful and threatened to open fire on Palestinian protesters to prevent strikes.
In response to this decision, the Land Defense Committee, formed by local Palestinian committees, convened and declared a one-day general strike on the following day, March 30.
The spark of protest ignited on March 29 of that year, with a popular march in the town of Deir Hanna brutally suppressed by occupying forces, followed by another demonstration in Arraba, where repression was even harsher, resulting in the death of a citizen and the injury of dozens.
News of the citizen’s death led to an expansion of protests and demonstrations across all Palestinian areas the following day. The confrontations were concentrated in the Galilee and the Triangle, particularly in the villages and towns of Arraba, Deir Hanna, Sakhnin, as well as the Negev Desert in the south.
These clashes resulted in the martyrdom of six Palestinians and the injury of dozens more. The occupation authorities refused to form a committee to investigate the circumstances of the deaths of these Palestinians, despite them holding Israeli citizenship.
Continued Land Seizures: The Ongoing Battle for Palestinian Territories
As Zionist policies persist in confiscating and usurping land, Palestinians perceive the battle for land as ongoing to this day.
According to a report by the “Wall and Settlements Resistance Authority” affiliated with the Palestine Liberation Organization, the Zionist entity controls 42% of the total land area of the occupied West Bank and 68.7% of the classified (C) areas, which are under Zionist military rule, constituting 61% of the total area of the Palestinian West Bank.
The area classified as (A) territories constitutes 17.6% of the West Bank’s total area, while (B) territories account for 18.4% of the total land.
Since the Zionist entity’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza in 1967, approximately 1700 square kilometers of Palestinian land have been declared state lands, representing 29% of the total West Bank land, some of which has been allocated for the establishment of settlements, placed under settler control, or left as reserves for expanding Zionist settlement project.
The number of settlers in the West Bank has reached 740,000, residing in 184 settlements and 194 settlement outposts, including 90 agricultural and pastoral outposts that prevent Palestinian access to over 410,000 dunams, mostly in the Jordan Valley and eastern slopes, equivalent to four times the area of existing settlements.
In 2023 alone, 18 new outposts were established, with the total number of settlement sites, including service, industrial, and other sites, reaching 52, in addition to 94 military sites and 40 military colleges.
Zionist authorities are considering the construction of over 18,000 new settlement units, including 8,000 units that have been approved for construction and an additional 10,000 units awaiting subsequent approval.
Demolitions and Displacement: Zionist Entitys Ongoing Land Grab
According to the report, the area of Palestinian land cultivated by settlers reached 120,000 dunams, while Zionist authorities seized over 48,000 dunams of Palestinian land in 2023 alone under various pretexts, including declarations of natural reserves and state lands.
A total of 1330 demolition notices, including demolition orders and stop-work orders, were distributed in 2023, with 60% concentrated in the Hebron, Bethlehem, and Ramallah governorates.
The Zionist Entity demolished 659 structures, mostly in Al Quds, Hebron, and Jericho, and issued 32 military orders to confiscate 619 dunams of land.
The Zionist measures led to the displacement of 25 Palestinian Bedouin communities comprising 266 families, totaling 1517 individuals, from their homes to other locations, with 22 communities forcibly displaced on October 7th, according to the statement.
The statement highlighted that Zionist measures and settler attacks prevented access to over half a million dunams of agricultural land.
The authority documented attacks on over 21,000 Palestinian trees through uprooting, destruction, and poisoning, including over 18,000 olive trees in 2023 alone.
The Wall and Settlement Resistance Authority noted that the number of permanent and temporary checkpoints, gates, and military barriers dividing Palestinian territories and imposing restrictions on the movement of individuals and goods reached 700 military checkpoints and gates, with over 140 gates installed after October 7th.
Finally, the authority reminded that the apartheid separation wall erected in 2002 still isolates over 295 square kilometers of Palestinian land.
About Dzair Tube Media Group
Dzair Tube has firmly established itself as a prominent player among Algerian digital news sites, offering a diverse and enriching content experience. The platform, available in Arabic, French, and English editions, captures the attention of a wide-ranging audience, amassing over half a million daily clicks.
A testament to its commitment to excellence, Dzair Tube received the prestigious President of the Republic’s Award for Professional Journalist in the Electronic Press category on October 22, 2022. This recognition underscores the platform’s unwavering dedication to upholding the highest standards of journalism.
With a significant online presence, Dzair Tube boasts 350,000 subscribers on YouTube, over five million followers on various Facebook pages, and 450,000 subscribers on Instagram. Its digital channel has become a hub for diverse programming, covering news, sports, entertainment, culture, and religion, catering to a broad spectrum of audience preferences.
Equipped with state-of-the-art studios and advanced technology, Dzair Tube’s digital channel has garnered substantial viewership for its varied programs. Hosting interactive discussions with influential figures across different domains, the platform actively fosters public discourse and engagement. Beyond news coverage, Dzair Tube extends its commitment to the production of marketing documentaries, short TV commercials, and high-viewership programs.
The success of the print edition of Dzair Tube’s sports newspaper, “Dzair Sport,” further highlights the platform’s impact, with over 50,000 daily downloads from the official Dzair Tube website.
Honored with the Media Leadership Award from the Minister of Communication, Mohamed Laâgab, Dzair Tube continues to shape the landscape of Algerian digital news, maintaining a position of influence and impact in the media industry.
