Israel Expropriates 110 Dunams Near Nabi Samuel Mosque, Palestinians Condemn Judaization Campaign

Israel’s civil administration issued an expropriation order for land around the Nabi Samuel Mosque and the towns of Nabi Samuel and Beit Iksa in the northwestern occupied Jerusalem, with the Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemning the move as part of a broader campaign aimed at “Judaizing” the city.

“Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemns Israeli land seizure near Jerusalem Ministry says move near Nabi Samuel Mosque part of efforts to 'Judaize' occupied city Qais Omar Darwesh Omar 26 May 2026•Update: 26 May 2026 ISTANBUL The Palestinian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday condemned Israel’s decision to seize large areas of land around the village of Nabi Samuel and the town of Beit Iksa in the northwestern occupied Jerusalem, describing it as part of a broader campaign aimed at “Judaizing” the city”

Anadolu Ajansı

The Jerusalem Governorate warned the historic Nabi Samuel Mosque was facing “one of the most dangerous phases of Judaization” after Israeli authorities seized 110 dunams (27 acres) of land from Nabi Samuel village and Beit Iksa, including areas surrounding the mosque.

Anadolu Ajansı

In a separate account, Middle East Eye said Israel announced it was expropriating 28 acres and justified the seizure as being “for the public benefit” to undertake a development project “to preserve the archaeological site of the Prophet Samuel’s tomb”.

Middle East Eye also placed the site on a hilltop 6km northwest of Jerusalem, 885 metres above sea level, and described the mosque’s features as dating back to the Ayyubid and Mamluk periods.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said the decision represented “an extension of a colonial war against the land, the people and the Palestinian narrative.”

Middle East Eye said Israel issued an order to seize the tomb of the Prophet Samuel (Nabi Samuel), an important religious landmark in the occupied West Bank run by the Islamic Waqf, and described the move as condemned “Judaisation” of Palestinian sites.

Khalil Toufakji, an expert on maps, borders, settlements and the city of Jerusalem, told Middle East Eye that “All the lands in the area that were confiscated belong to the Alami family,” and said they were “an Islamic waqf [religious endowment], a hereditary waqf of the Alami family.”

Daily Sabah

Toufakji said the latest move was “effectively an annexation,” adding that “This annexation process has begun,” through archaeological sites first and then infrastructure.

The Middle East Eye report also quoted Omar Rajob, the head of the governorate's media office, saying that “On the contrary, they have revealed clear Islamic landmarks and artifacts, most notably the historic mosque itself,” while Israeli authorities continued to use “archaeology” as a political tool.

In the same reporting, the Palestinian Authority’s Jerusalem governorate spokesperson said excavations had not yielded evidence for the Jewish narrative promoted by Israeli authorities, and that Islamic history was “completely ignored.”

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry urged the international community and the UN to take “practical and binding measures,” including sanctions, to halt policies of confiscation, annexation and Judaization, and to hold Israel accountable for violations.

“Gift this articleShare to FacebookPrint article Article printing is available to subscribers only Print in a simple, ad-free format Subscribe Comments: SaveZen Reading Zen reading is available to subscribers only Ad-free and in a comfortable reading format Subscribe”

Haaretz

WAFA said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates considered the decision as “a systematic colonial policies targeting Palestinian geography and demography,” aiming to Judaize occupied Jerusalem, isolate it from its natural surroundings, alter its character, and obliterate its ancient Palestinian identity.

WAFA also asserted that the decision is “not an administrative measure or a development project, but rather a forceful land grab and illegal occupation in violation of the UN Charter and international law, as well as UN resolutions.”

Peace Now’s Yonatan Mizrahi told AFP there was “no need to decide about the expropriation of the land,” while Daily Sabah reported that Peace Now denounced “the messianic agenda of the Israeli government.”

The Haaretz report said an IDF-appointed body that administers civilian affairs in the West Bank issued an unprecedented expropriation order for a religious site north of Jerusalem controlled by the Palestinian Authority's Muslim Waqf, tasked with managing religious sites.