Israel Approves West Bank Land Registration, Sparks International Outcry

On 15 February 2026, the Israeli government approved a plan to register large areas of the West Bank as state property, igniting widespread condemnation from various Arab nations and human rights organisations. This decision is perceived as a significant step towards further annexation of Palestinian territories.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry declared that the new measure aims to provide clarity regarding land rights and resolve ongoing legal disputes within the region. However, critics argue that the move represents a dangerous escalation in Israel’s efforts to solidify its control over the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Egypt, Qatar, and Jordan were particularly vocal in their condemnation. The Egyptian government labelled the action as a “dangerous escalation aimed at consolidating Israeli control,” while Qatar's Foreign Ministry bemoaned the transformation of West Bank lands into so-called state property, asserting it would infringe upon the rights of the Palestinian people.

The Palestinian Authority, based in Ramallah, has called for immediate international intervention, describing the move as the commencement of the de facto annexation of the West Bank, which it sees as compromising the foundations of a future Palestinian state.

The Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now described the decision as a “mega land grab.” Jonathan Mizrachi, co-director of Peace Now, indicated that the process would likely disadvantage Palestinians who may lose claims to land they historically regarded as theirs. He indicated that the new regulations would primarily affect Area C, which constitutes about 60% of the West Bank and is under full Israeli security and administrative control.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and other government officials have defended the legislation, arguing that it is necessary to address legal ambiguities surrounding land ownership. They assert that resuming land title processes, which have been paused since the Six-Day War in 1967, is critical for legal and administrative clarity.

However, critics argue that the bill is designed in such a manner that Palestinians will struggle to prove ownership of their lands, essentially enabling the Israeli state to appropriate significant portions of land by categorising it as state property. The legal requirements for land ownership documentation can be burdensome and complicated, particularly for those whose records may have been lost or damaged during periods of conflict.

Last week, additional measures to tighten control over areas under the Palestinian Authority were also approved by Israel's security cabinet. These included new permissions for Jewish Israelis to buy land directly in the West Bank. Such actions have stoked fears of ongoing and escalating tensions in the region.

United Nations rights chief Volker Turk noted a concerning trend towards a systematic alteration of demographics in the occupied West Bank, claiming it is facilitating the removal of Palestinian residents from their lands.

International responses to these developments continue to evolve. While U.S. President Donald Trump previously opposed annexation efforts, his administration has refrained from directly criticising recent Israeli actions despite rising global criticism. Approximately 500,000 Israelis currently inhabit settlements in the West Bank, which many international observers argue contravene international law. At the same time, about three million Palestinians reside in these territories, which have been under Israeli occupation since 1967.