JERUSALEM – Israel’s government has approved a process to register land in the West Bank as “state property”, drawing condemnation from Arab nations and critics who said it would accelerate annexation of the Palestinian territory.

Israel’s foreign ministry said the measure, approved late Sunday, would enable “transparent and thorough clarification of rights to resolve legal disputes” and was needed after unlawful land registration in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority. 

But Egypt, Qatar, and Jordan criticised the move as illegal under international law.

In a statement, the Egyptian government called it a “dangerous escalation aimed at consolidating Israeli control over the occupied Palestinian territories”.
Qatar’s foreign ministry condemned the “decision to convert West Bank lands into so-called ‘state property’,” saying it would “deprive the Palestinian people of their rights”.

The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority called for international intervention to prevent the “de facto beginning of the annexation process and the undermining of the foundations of the Palestinian state”.

Israeli anti-settlement watchdog Peace Now called the measure a “mega land grab”.

Jonathan Mizrachi, the Israeli NGO’s co-director, told AFP on Monday that the measure would attribute new resources for land registration in the occupied West Bank.

The process will take place only in Area C, which constitutes some 60% of West Bank territory and is under Israeli security and administrative control.

“There was a lot of ambiguity regarding the land, and Israel decided now to deal with it,” he said, adding that the existing ambiguity over Area C land ownership is likely to be used against Palestinians.

– Nampa/AFP