ALWAGHT- The Israeli cabinet has moved to take full control of land registration in Area C of the West Bank, a zone that makes up about 60 percent of the territory and hosts most of the illegal Israeli settlements.
Israel’s cabinet has approved a resolution granting full authority over land registration in Area C of the West Bank, a move promoted by far-right ministers Israel Katz and Bezalel Smotrich. Critics view it as a de facto annexation of occupied Palestinian land, undermining the 1995 Oslo Accords which had designated Area C under temporary Israeli control with an anticipated transfer to Palestinian governance.
Under the new resolution, any Palestinian land registration efforts in Area C will be nullified by Israeli authorities. The plan includes land surveys, reclassification of large areas, and measures to block international support for Palestinian claims. A cross-ministerial committee is to be formed within 60 days, coinciding with proposed legislation to ease land purchases for Israeli settlers.
Human rights groups and international observers, including the UN, have condemned the move as a violation of international law and a dangerous step toward formal annexation. Palestinian activists warn it will intensify dispossession and settler expansion, while the UN urges Israel to reverse course to prevent further erosion of the peace process.
