Earlier this month, Palestinian gunmen murdered three Israelis and wounded eight more in a shooting attack on a major road in Samaria near the Arab village of Funduq. The Regavim Movement revealed that the attack followed a wave of illegal Palestinian construction, suggesting a correlation between the land grab via construction and Palestinian terrorism targeting Jews.

Illegal Palestinian construction in the area of Funduq (Photo courtesy Regavim)

Two weeks ago, three Palestinian terrorists opened fire on a bus and several cars traveling on a major thoroughfare in Funduq, Samaria, murdering Rachel Cohen, Aliza Reiss, and Elad Winkelstein, and injuring eight other innocent people. The terrorists remained at large despite an extensive manhunt. The IDF reported on Thursday that they had neutralized two of the terrorists associated with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Jenin.

Funduq has a history of being a hotspot for terrorism, where attacks including stone-throwing and shooting incidents, take place. Notable among these was the murder of Ido Zoldan by Palestinian Authority security officers (PASF) in 2007, and another Palestinian terrorist attack two years prior in which Shalom Sofer, a resident of Petah Tikva, was fatally stabbed in the village.

Last week, the Israeli Ministry of Transport announced plans for constructing a bypass road around Funduq, with an estimated cost of 200 million shekels. The ministry emphasized that these plans for road diversion were both designed and approved the previous year, independent of any recent attacks, and are now moving forward to tender following budget approval. The Regavim Movement has raised concerns about security threats along the bypass route, pointing out the presence of significant illegal constructions. 

Avraham Binyamin, Director of Policy and Parliamentary Affairs at Regavim, emphasized that bypass roads are ineffective against terrorist attacks.

“Bypass roads are not an effective strategy for Israel to shirk its duty to fully address and manage critical, unstable situations such as those in Funduq, a recurring issue observed in many other areas throughout Judea and Samaria,” Binyamin said.

Illegal Palestinian construction is frequently carried out at key security locations. Such illegal Palestinian construction is also used to destroy archaeological sites that stand as irrefutable proof of the historical Jewish connection to the land of Israel. Much of this construction is funded by European NGOs and the European Union. This includes foreign funding to illegally construct schools on Israeli land.

Two years ago, Regavim took legal action by petitioning the District Court to demolish what has been described as an “illegal palatial structure” near the bypass route, following multiple unheeded appeals to the authorities. In the legal proceedings, the state presented arguments on priorities and other considerations, leading to the dismissal of the petition without committing to a specific demolition timeline.

Regavim reported on “the shocking scale” of unauthorized Palestinian building activities in the vicinity of Funduq village. Dozens of buildings have been erected in the region, which, according to the Oslo Accords, is categorized as Area C and is under complete Israeli civil and security jurisdiction.

“The total neglect of the Funduq area effectively places it under the de facto control of the Palestinian Authority, thus presenting a dual threat,” Regavim said in a statement. “This endangers road users who are vulnerable to attacks and poses a strategic risk to Israel by establishing territorial continuity and obstructing access to Israeli communities.”

The issue of territorial encroachment extends beyond this single case. East of Funduq, a new agricultural expansion has been observed in recent months, located just hundreds of meters from ongoing construction in Funduq, heading towards Immatin village. This move is perceived as an attempt to consolidate control, establish de facto territorial claims, and link hostile villages. This development includes the construction of two agricultural structures, which are also situated along the proposed Funduq bypass route, further complicating the security and legal landscape in the area.

In the vicinity, substantial construction activities are progressing on two expansive villas nearing completion and are intended to house village dignitaries. These villas are situated on lands classified as Area C, where construction is supposed to be regulated by Israeli authorities.