Watan-In the town of Raba, in the Jenin Governorate of the northern occupied West Bank, Palestinians are fearful of an Israeli decision to seize the summit of Mount Salama, a move that would strip the town of an important economic resource and a significant natural and touristic landmark.
Last Wednesday, the town’s residents received an Israeli order to seize 2,400 dunams (roughly 600 acres) for the purpose of establishing a military zone that includes Mount Salama and its surrounding fields, plains, and grazing lands, according to Raba village council head Ghassan al-Bazour.
In separate conversations, local residents affirmed that the mountain is owned collectively by the town and is surrounded by olive groves and grazing areas.
The Highest Peak in the North
Mount Salama, which stands 714 meters above sea level, is the highest peak in the far north of the West Bank. From its summit, one can view most of Jenin Governorate, including its plains and villages. It also overlooks the northern Jordan Valley and the Jordanian border to the east. On clear days, Mount Hermon (Jabal al-Sheikh) in the occupied Syrian Golan can be seen to the north, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, and the mountains of Nablus to the south.
Years ago, Raba Municipality built an agricultural road leading to the summit, and the mountain has since served as a popular picnic and leisure destination for residents of Raba and neighboring villages.
Ongoing Targeting of the Mountain
Standing atop the mountain, Ghassan al-Bazour said that the Israeli occupation and its settlers have long targeted the mountain with repeated incursions, assaults on farmers, and restrictions. “Now they’ve decided to seize vast swaths of land for military purposes.”
Pointing to the far north, where the Israeli separation wall stands, he added: “The occupation will extend a road from the far north all the way to the mountain’s summit, installing gates and a wall around the village, which means losing more land to the occupation.”
He stressed that the area is “primarily agricultural, planted with olives and grapes, and also serves as grazing land for livestock.” He warned that the presence of an Israeli military base would kill off the area’s livelihood and deny residents access to their only source of income.
Al-Bazour also expressed fears of the area being declared a security zone, which would ban residents from reaching their lands, and he did not rule out settlers exploiting the military order to establish settlement outposts or settler farms.
A Symbolic and Touristic Site
He further noted the mountain’s touristic and symbolic value, saying, “It is a symbol and a place of deep emotional value to residents, especially in spring when people flock here to hike, enjoy meals, and take in the breathtaking views of Jenin’s vast plains from the summit.”
Raba, which has a population of around 5,000 people, relies heavily on field farming and agriculture, especially olives and grapes, and on raising livestock.
According to al-Bazour, the town has already lost most of its lands to Israel’s separation wall.
Israel began constructing the separation wall in 2002, claiming it was to prevent Palestinian attacks. However, the International Court of Justice ruled in 2005 that the wall is illegal under international law.
Theft of the Town’s Most Vital Landmark
Standing atop Mount Salama, 64-year-old resident Hossam Sa’il said: “We reject any Israeli presence on the mountain’s summit. We’ve already lost thousands of dunams since the 1948 occupation, then again in 2003 with the separation wall. And now, Israel is coming after the town’s most vital landmark.”
“When you talk about Mount Salama, you’re talking about a site with economic, touristic, and symbolic importance to the people,” he added.
He warned: “If a military base is set up, what guarantees that settlers won’t come later, build homes, and launch attacks on residents, just like what’s happening in Nablus, Ramallah, and Hebron?”
According to the Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission (a governmental body), settlers committed 415 attacks on Palestinians and their property in May alone, including armed assaults, destruction of land, uprooting of trees, and forced closures.
Palestinian reports state that by the end of 2024, there were approximately 770,000 settlers in the West Bank, spread across 180 settlements and 256 outposts, of which 138 are agricultural or grazing outposts.
Sa’il concluded: “The occupation always starts with a military order, then hands the land over to settlers.” He emphasized that the summit is publicly owned communal land (waqf) for the town.
Sa’il himself owns two dunams of olive-planted land now threatened with seizure, and he said: “I have official documents. My family owns large areas here. The place is also grazing land for many livestock.”
80-Year-Old Olive Groves at Risk
Mohammad al-Bazour, who owns dozens of dunams on the mountain’s slopes planted with olives, stated: “This land has been cultivated for more than 80 years. It is private property, and now it’s threatened with seizure.”
He continued: “We are fighting with everything we can to protect this site from the occupation. We can’t give it up.” He added: “Our future is now unknown, and we’re facing real danger to our land.”
Meanwhile, 59-year-old Muhannad al-Bazour, who owns around 175 dunams in the area, stated: “Now, everything we own is threatened with seizure.”
He emphasized: “This land is our only source of livelihood. Losing it would mean losing everything.” He warned that the Israeli plan includes building gates and a security wall, meaning eventual complete denial of access to the area and total loss of the land under flimsy pretexts.
International Law and Parallel War Crimes
The West Bank is internationally recognized as occupied Palestinian land. On July 19, 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared that “Israel’s continued presence in occupied Palestinian territories is illegal.” The court affirmed the Palestinians’ right to self-determination and ruled that Israeli settlements in occupied territory must be dismantled.
Meanwhile, Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, supported by the United States, since October 7, 2023. The war has resulted in more than 194,000 Palestinians killed or injured, the majority being women and children, with over 11,000 missing, hundreds of thousands displaced, and mass starvation claiming many lives.
In parallel with the genocide in Gaza, Israel has escalated military and settler attacks in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, leading to at least 988 Palestinians killed and nearly 7,000 injured, according to Palestinian sources.
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