Occupied Jerusalem, May 25 (QNA) - The Israeli occupation authorities issued on Tuesday an order to expropriate approximately 109.79 dunams of land near the towns of Al Nabi Samwil and Beit Iksa, northwest of Jerusalem.

This land grab will be carried out under the pretext of public interest and under the pretense of developing and preserving an archaeological site in the area.

In its statement, the Jerusalem Governorate said that the targeted lands include agricultural vineyards and open areas, in a move viewed as an extension of policies aimed at seizing lands surrounding Jerusalem.

The order also indicated that the seizure procedures extend to the Nabi Samwil Mosque located above the archaeological site, raising concerns over potential harm to the religious and historical landmark, the Governorate added.

These measures are an integral part of a systematic policy aimed at taking over Palestinian archaeological sites under the guise of development and restoration, the Jerusalem Governorate emphasized, to further entrench a unilateral Israeli narrative of sovereignty over Jerusalem and exclude the Palestinian and Islamic narrative from the city's public sphere. (QNA)