By Anietie anii-bassey
Israel’s government has approved a contentious decision to resume a sweeping land registration process in large portions of the occupied West Bank, a move critics say could significantly expand Israeli state control over territory Palestinians view as central to a future independent state.
The Cabinet decision, finalized Sunday, authorizes the renewal of what is known as the “settlement of land title” process in areas of the West Bank where formal land registration has largely been frozen since the 1967 Mideast War.
Under the measure, once Israeli authorities declare a specific area subject to registration, anyone claiming ownership of land there will be required to submit documentation proving their rights.
The decision focuses primarily on Area C, which comprises roughly 60% of the West Bank and remains under full Israeli military and civil control under the interim arrangements established in the 1990s between Israel and the Palestinians. Area C includes most of the territory’s open land reserves, agricultural areas and the vast majority of Israeli settlements.
Supporters within the Israeli government say the step is intended to bring clarity and legal order to a complex and often opaque land regime that has relied for decades on a patchwork of Ottoman, British Mandate, Jordanian and Israeli military laws. They argue that completing the registration process will provide certainty over ownership claims and strengthen governance.
Justice Minister Yariv Levin, who has been among the leading voices pushing the proposal, said the decision reflects the government’s broader policy direction. “The government of Israel is committed to strengthening its grip on all its parts, and this decision is an expression of that commitment,” he said following the Cabinet vote.
But critics warn that the process could lead to large-scale transfers of land into Israeli state hands, especially in areas where Palestinian ownership claims are difficult to document under the stringent evidentiary requirements often applied by Israeli authorities.
Hagit Ofran, director of the anti-settlement watchdog Peace Now, described the move as “very dramatic,” saying it could enable Israel to gain control over most of Area C. She argued that the procedures for proving ownership are frequently complex, burdensome and lacking transparency, particularly for Palestinians whose claims may rely on decades-old tax receipts, informal inheritance arrangements or customary land use.
“Palestinians will be sent to prove ownership in a way that they will never be able to do,” Ofran said, warning that if large areas are declared state land due to unsuccessful claims, it could shift control over an estimated 83% of Area C — an area that accounts for roughly half of the West Bank.
According to Ofran, the first phases of registration could begin as soon as this year, depending on how quickly authorities move to designate specific tracts of land for review.
The decision comes amid a series of measures in recent months aimed at consolidating Israeli authority in the West Bank. The government has accelerated construction in Jewish settlements, moved to legalize several previously unauthorized outposts and implemented administrative changes that critics say weaken the Palestinian Authority’s role while strengthening Israeli oversight.
Palestinian leaders reacted sharply to Sunday’s approval. The office of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas issued a statement calling the move “a grave escalation and a flagrant violation of international law.” It said the decision amounted to “de facto annexation” and urged the international community, including the United Nations Security Council and the United States, to intervene.
The Palestinian Authority has long argued that Israeli expansion in Area C undermines the viability of a contiguous Palestinian state. While the authority exercises limited administrative control in Areas A and B under the Oslo-era arrangements, Area C remains under Israeli control, and development there by Palestinians is tightly restricted.
The international community overwhelmingly regards Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank and east Jerusalem as illegal under international law and as a major obstacle to peace, a position Israel disputes. More than 700,000 Israelis now live in settlements across the West Bank and east Jerusalem, territories Israel captured from Jordan in 1967. Palestinians seek those lands as part of a future state.
Jordan, which administered the West Bank before 1967 and maintains a custodial role over Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, also condemned the decision. In a statement, its Foreign Ministry called on the international community to “assume its legal and moral responsibilities” and to compel Israel “to stop its dangerous escalation.”
The renewed land registration process could also intersect with recent proposals affecting private land transactions. Palestinians are currently barred under Palestinian law from selling land directly to Israelis, though recent Israeli measures have sought to loosen restrictions and facilitate purchases in areas under Israeli control.
Additionally, new enforcement initiatives have expanded Israeli oversight in spheres such as environmental regulation and archaeology, including in areas nominally administered by the Palestinian Authority.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has deepened cooperation with right-wing coalition partners who advocate extending Israeli sovereignty over parts or all of the West Bank.
His close relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump has further emboldened some members of his government, though previous U.S. administrations have opposed annexation and sharply criticized settlement expansion.
Netanyahu and Trump met in Washington last week, marking their seventh meeting over the past year, underscoring the strength of ties between the two leaders even as U.S. policy toward formal annexation remains officially opposed.
For Palestinians living in Area C — estimated at more than 300,000 people — the implications could be profound. Many reside in rural communities dependent on agricultural and grazing lands that may now be subject to renewed scrutiny. Families often hold deeds or tax records dating back decades, but navigating Israel’s land registration system can be costly, legally complex and time-consuming.
Observers say the coming months will reveal how extensively Israeli authorities apply the new policy and how many areas are designated for registration. If implemented broadly, the move could reshape land ownership patterns in the West Bank and further inflame tensions in a conflict already marked by deep mistrust and competing claims to the same territory.
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