Palestinian Presidency Condemns Israel’s West Bank Land Registration Changes as “De Facto Annexation”

The Palestinian Presidency on Sunday condemned a decision by Israel’s security cabinet to change land registration and property acquisition procedures in areas A and B of the West Bank, according to a report by WAFA, calling the move an escalation and a flagrant violation of international law.

In a statement, the Presidency said the move to classify West Bank land as “state property” under Israeli authority constitutes a direct threat to security and stability and stressed that the measure amounts to de facto annexation of the occupied Palestinian territory.

It added that the step nullifies signed agreements and violates UN Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolution 2334, which affirms that all Israeli settlement activity in the Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, has no legal validity.

The Presidency has called on the international community, including the UN Security Council and the United States, to intervene and to compel Israel to comply with international resolutions to attenuate tensions.

Earlier this month, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres also expressed concerns over the Israeli security cabinet’s decisions.

Why did Israel change West Bank land registration and property acquisition procedures?

The statement came after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced a series of security cabinet decisions to “dramatically” change land registration and property acquisition procedures in the West Bank, as reported by The Times of Israel.

In a joint statement, the two ministers said the decisions “are intended to remove decades-old barriers, repeal discriminatory Jordanian legislation, and enable accelerated development of settlement on the ground”.

According to the report, the approved plan ordered the publication of land registries in the West Bank, meaning that property lists will be open to the public and potential buyers will be able to identify landowners and approach them for purchasing.

Until now, land registration in the West Bank had been classified. The cabinet action also repealed a legal provision that prevented non-Muslims from buying real estate in the area.

Under the 1995 Oslo II Accords signed by Israel and the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank is divided into three areas: Area C under full Israeli control, Area B under Palestinian civilian control and Israeli security control, and Area A under full Palestinian control.

The new measures, however, are also tied to a broader bill approved by the Israeli government to claim large areas of the occupied West Bank as “state property”.

How does the new West Bank land bill seek to resume the “settlement of land title” process?

The bill, submitted by Smotrich along with Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Defence Minister Katz, is seen as part of the government’s effort to expand settlements in the West Bank area.

Under the proposal, Israel will resume the “settlement of land title” processes in the occupied West Bank, a process paused since the Six-Day War in 1967.

With the resumption of the process, any person with claims to the land must present the required documents to prove their ownership.

If Palestinians fail to present the documents, Israel will have the right to take the land as “state property” under the new bill.

After years of occupation, the criteria for land ownership have also changed, and the bill has the potential to dispossess thousands of Palestinians of their rights to their land.

How will Israel’s West Bank land bill impact Area C and unregistered Palestinian land?

The legislation will particularly focus on Area C in the West Bank, an area under full Israeli military control where the majority of Palestinian land has not been registered due to the expensive legal process or the misplacement of documents during times of war and occupation.

Over 300,000 Palestinians are estimated to live in this area, along with many more in surrounding communities dependent on its agricultural and grazing lands, as well as plots for which families retain land deeds or tax records dating back decades.

The Palestinian presidency described the decision as a “grave escalation and a flagrant violation of international law” and reiterated that the bill would amount to “de facto annexation” of the West Bank.

Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now also criticised the process as a “mega land grab” from Palestinians.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas also condemned the move as a “violation of international law and UN resolutions” and called the bill an attempt “to steal and Judaise lands in the occupied West Bank by registering them as so-called ‘state lands'”.

Qatar’s foreign ministry condemned the “decision to convert West Bank lands into so-called ‘state property,’” saying it would “deprive the Palestinian people of their rights”.

The government of Egypt described the Israeli bill as a “dangerous escalation aimed at consolidating Israeli control over the occupied Palestinian territories”.

(With inputs from ANI)