Israel’s security cabinet has approved new rules aimed at strengthening Israeli control over the occupied West Bank, according to local media reports, drawing condemnation from Palestinian authorities.
The Palestinian presidency, in a statement on Sunday, called the decision “dangerous” and an “open Israeli attempt to legalize settlement expansion” and land confiscation. The office of President Mahmoud Abbas called for the United States and the United Nations Security Council to intervene immediately.
Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also condemned the decision, stating it was “aimed at imposing illegal Israeli sovereignty” and entrenching settlements.
The Hamas group called on Palestinians in the West Bank to “intensify the confrontation with the occupation and its settlers.”
Israeli media reported the rules will make it easier for Israeli settlers to buy land in the occupied West Bank and grant Israeli officials stronger powers to enforce laws on Palestinians in the area.
The West Bank is an area Palestinians seek for a future independent state, alongside Gaza and occupied East Jerusalem. Currently, much of the West Bank is under direct Israeli military control, with limited Palestinian self-rule in some areas governed by the Western-backed Palestinian Authority (PA).
The office of far-right Israeli Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich stated, “we will continue to bury the idea of a Palestinian state.”
Palestinian Vice President Hussein Al-Sheikh said the reported Israeli steps to increase annexation and create new facts on the ground in the occupied West Bank are a violation of all signed agreements, a serious escalation, and a violation of international law, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.
He emphasized that these unilateral measures aim to eliminate political prospects, obliterate the two-state solution, and drag the entire region into further tension and instability.
The reports reach three days before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Palestinian presidency call the Israeli decision?
The Palestinian presidency called the decision “dangerous” and an “open Israeli attempt to legalize settlement expansion” and land confiscation.
What did Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs say about the decision?
Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the decision, stating it was “aimed at imposing illegal Israeli sovereignty” and entrenching settlements.
What did Hamas call for?
The Hamas group called on Palestinians in the West Bank to “intensify the confrontation with the occupation and its settlers.”
Given these developments, what impact might this have on the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
