Israel has approved its biggest land seizure in the occupied West Bank in more than three decades, a move criticised by activists as detrimental to Palestinian peace hopes, AFP reports.

The 12.7-square-kilometre of land in the Jordan Valley was officially declared “state property” in June, according to an official declaration obtained by AFP after being revealed by the Peace Now group.

“The size of the area designated for declaration is the largest since the [1993] Oslo Accords, and the year 2024 marks a peak in the extent of declarations of state land,” Peace Now said.

The Israeli government has seized a total of 23.7 square kilometres in the West Bank since the start of the year, it said.

When land is declared “state property”, Palestinians lose private ownership rights and are barred from using it, Peace Now said.

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