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European Union Funds Illegal Palestinian Projects in West Bank
(Algemeiner-HonestReporting) Akiva Van Koningsveld - A report by Israel's Intelligence Ministry, prepared in June 2021 but declassified only this year, describes how the Palestinians use EU funds to build thousands of illegal structures and grab swaths of agricultural land in Area C in Judea and Samaria, contrary to international law and relevant agreements. Over the past eight years, the Palestinian Authority has received over half a billion dollars to carry out "unilateral land seizure moves." The report states: "As part of the moves to seize territory, between 35,000-40,000 structures have been built in [Area C]....These structures cover an area of approximately 35 to 80 square km....This activity has also included harming natural assets (building inside nature reserves, illegal quarries, pollution and dumping of waste), harm to antiquities (there are approximately 10,000 archaeological sites in Judea and Samaria) and demands to turn part of them into Muslim sites....These efforts have been guided centrally by the Palestinian Authority...through unilaterally establishing facts on the ground."