The Israeli occupation government approved on Sunday a measure allowing it to annex and register large areas of land in the occupied West Bank as “state land” — the first decision of its kind since 1967.
The move is widely viewed as a strategic escalation aimed at reengineering the territorial reality in the West Bank and advancing the de facto annexation already unfolding on the ground.
The policy marks a formal shift in Israel’s approach to land ownership, enabling sweeping colonial expansion while further obstructing any future political negotiations.
It also stands in direct violation of international law, which prohibits an occupying power from making permanent changes in occupied territory. The decision comes amid near‑total international silence, deepening concerns about the trajectory of the Palestinian question.
Omar Assaf, coordinator of the “Palestine Conference – 14 Million,” described the measure as one of the most dangerous decisions taken in recent weeks.
He explained that reclassifying Palestinian land as “state land” effectively places vast areas under full Israeli control, allowing the government to treat them as it wishes — mirroring what occurred inside the 1948 territories, where most land was eventually declared state‑owned.
Speaking to Quds News Network, Assaf warned that the decision threatens properties belonging to Palestinians in exile, which could now be designated as “absentee property” and placed under the authority of the so‑called Custodian of Absentee Property.
He added that the move also paves the way for Israel to seize archaeological sites across the West Bank and restrict Palestinian construction, placing all land‑use decisions under Israeli authority.
Assaf said the measure represents a new, advanced stage in Israel’s efforts to impose full sovereignty over the occupied West Bank.
He added that Palestinians remain ready to defend their land but lack a unified national leadership they trust.
Assaf urged the Palestinian Authority and official institutions to activate all available tools — including coordination with Jordan and the Islamic Waqf, mobilizing Arab support, and pursuing international legal action.
He called for filing cases at the UN and General Assembly reaffirming that these lands are occupied under international law.
The Palestinian official stressed that such steps must be taken urgently, as Israel is working rapidly to entrench new facts on the ground.
Several Palestinian factions, legal and human rights groups condemned the decision, describing it as an outright theft of Palestinian land.
Egypt condemned Israel’s decision to resume land registration and settlement procedures in large areas of the occupied West Bank, calling it a dangerous escalation aimed at entrenching control over Palestinian land.
The Foreign Ministry said the move constitutes a clear violation of international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention and UN Security Council Resolution 2334, and contradicts the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion affirming the illegality of measures that alter the legal or demographic status of occupied territory.
Egypt warned that the step undermines the two‑state solution and threatens regional stability, reiterating its rejection of all unilateral measures and urging the international community to act to protect the Palestinian people’s rights.
