Israel Moves to Register West Bank Lands as ‘State Property,’ Fueling Annexation Concerns
In a landmark decision, the Israeli government has approved a proposal to formally register vast areas of the occupied West Bank as “state property,” marking the first such move since Israel’s occupation of the territory in 1967.
The initiative, spearheaded by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, and Defence Minister Israel Katz, was framed by its proponents as a necessary step to secure Israeli control over the territory. “We are continuing the settlement revolution to control all our lands,” Smotrich declared.
Most Palestinian lands remain unregistered due to a complex process that Israel halted in 1967. Registration establishes permanent legal ownership, but under international law, an occupying power is prohibited from confiscating land in occupied territories.
The move drew immediate condemnation from the Palestinian Presidency, which called it a “serious escalation” and argued that it effectively nullifies previous agreements while contravening United Nations Security Council resolutions, according to Wafa news agency.
Defence Minister Katz defended the policy as “an essential security and governance measure designed to ensure control, enforcement, and full freedom of action for the State of Israel in the area,” the Jerusalem Post reported.
This step follows recent measures by the Israeli Security Cabinet, also promoted by Smotrich and Katz, which analysts say further facilitate the seizure of Palestinian land. Experts warn that these actions amount to a de facto annexation of Palestinian territory, reshaping its civil and legal landscape by removing longstanding “legal obstacles” to settlement expansion.
Speaking from Ramallah, political analyst Xavier Abu Eid told Al Jazeera that Israel is “packing annexation into some sort of bureaucratic move.” He noted that the International Court of Justice ruled in 2024 that such actions constitute annexation of the West Bank. “This is not just a step towards annexation — we are experiencing annexation as we speak. The Israeli government is implanting its political agenda in full view,” he said.
Abu Eid also cautioned that Palestinian landowners are likely to face increased threats and intimidation from Israeli settlers, now openly backed by government policy.
