In a decisive move, Israel's security cabinet approved on Sunday several initiatives intended to deepen Israeli administrative reach within the occupied West Bank, simultaneously diminishing the already limited governance capacity of the Palestinian Authority. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's office publicized the cabinet's resolutions, highlighting how the new policies streamline the ability of Jewish settlers to compel Palestinian relinquishment of land. His statement explicitly emphasized the intention to advance Israel's stance against the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Yonatan Mizrachi, a researcher affiliated with Peace Now—a prominent Israeli organization that monitors settlement activity—characterized the cabinet's decision as profoundly consequential, noting that the plan awaits final endorsement from Israel’s highest military commander overseeing the West Bank.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas sharply criticized the cabinet's decision, denouncing it as "dangerous" and labeling it an overt Israeli effort to formalize settlement growth and land confiscation. He appealed for urgent intervention from the United States and the United Nations Security Council to challenge these developments.
Regional condemnation extended further. Jordan’s foreign ministry condemned the resolution, declaring that it aimed to impose unlawful Israeli sovereignty and reinforce settlements. The Hamas militant faction called for Palestinians residing in the West Bank to escalate confrontations against both the occupation forces and settler communities.
The announcement comes mere days ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's scheduled meeting in Washington with U.S. President Donald Trump, where discussions are anticipated to cover Iran and other critical geopolitical topics.
The approved measures encompass multiple significant provisions: abolition of existing prohibitions on transactions of West Bank land to Israeli Jews, declassification of land registry documents in the territory to facilitate easier land acquisitions, transferring authority over construction planning at religious and other sensitive locations in the unstable city of Hebron to Israeli officials, and granting Israeli enforcement powers related to environmental and archaeological concerns within areas previously under Palestinian administration.
Additionally, the policies revive a governmental committee designed to enable Israel to undertake "proactive" land purchases within the West Bank—a strategic move intended to secure land reserves for settlement activities well into the future.
Peace Now issued a detailed commentary following the announcement, describing the cabinet's directives as an effort to "break through every possible barrier on the way to a massive land grab in the West Bank." The group underscored the authority given to Israeli officials to demolish structures within Palestinian-controlled zones if these are judged to pose risks to heritage sites or the environment.
The West Bank is divided into areas under Israeli administrative control, encompassing settlements, and regions accounting for 40% of the territory under the Palestinian Authority’s jurisdiction. Current legal frameworks prohibit Palestinians from privately selling land to Israelis, whereas settlers are permitted to purchase homes on land governed by Israeli administration.
Regarding settler assertions that the prevailing system discriminates against Jews, Mizrachi from Peace Now pointed out that the framework systematically discriminates against Palestinians, who lack voting rights in Israeli elections and are subjected to Israeli military operations and movement limitations.
The population of Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem now exceeds 700,000—a territory originally seized from Jordan in 1967 and claimed by Palestinians as part of any prospective state. The international community broadly regards Israeli settlement activities in these areas as illegal and as hindrances to peace negotiations.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, with a background as a pronounced settler leader, recently elevated to cabinet status with oversight of settlement policies, has publicly committed to doubling the settler populace within the West Bank.
The settler organization Regavim expressed support for Sunday's decisions, applauding the enhanced protection for heritage sites and the anticipated transparency through accessible land registry systems.
In the previous December, the Israeli cabinet authorized the establishment of 19 new Jewish settlements in the West Bank, intensifying construction efforts that further strain prospects for a Palestinian state. Moreover, Israel has proceeded with administrative steps to commence building a controversial settlement project near Jerusalem, which would effectively bisect the West Bank, as revealed by a recent government tender.