The Israeli Security Cabinet has approved a series of measures on Sunday that significantly deepen Jerusalem’s administrative and legal control over the West Bank. Government sources described the decisions as a long-overdue “normalisation” of Jewish life in the territory. Critics, including Palestinian officials and Israeli rights groups, argue that the measures amount to de facto annexation, fundamentally reshaping the West Bank’s legal and political architecture.
At the heart of the cabinet’s decision is a sweeping overhaul of land laws and planning authority. Central to this is the repeal of a Jordanian-era regulation that restricted the sale of West Bank land to private Jewish individuals. Under the previous system, Jewish land purchases were permitted only through registered companies and required special approval from the Israeli Civil Administration. The new rules abolish these requirements, allowing Jews to purchase land directly, under conditions broadly similar to those within Israel proper.
The cabinet also approved the removal of confidentiality protections on West Bank land registration records. The government argues that opening these archives will improve transparency and curb fraud. Opponents counter that this will make it easier for settlers and affiliated organisations to identify, contest and ultimately appropriate Palestinian land, particularly in areas with disputed or incomplete ownership documentation.
Further reinforcing this shift, the government has authorised the revival of the Land Acquisition Committee, a state body that ceased operating roughly two decades ago. The committee is empowered to proactively purchase land in the West Bank on behalf of the state, explicitly to secure reserves for the future expansion of Jewish communities. Critics say this marks a decisive move away from temporary occupation towards long-term territorial consolidation.
Beyond land ownership, the cabinet’s decisions substantially expand Israeli enforcement authority into Areas A and B of the West Bank. Under the Oslo Accords, Area A is under full Palestinian civil and security control, while Area B is administered by the Palestinian Authority with Israeli security oversight. The new measures authorise Israeli officials to enforce laws related to environmental protection, water management and archaeological preservation within these areas. Palestinian officials believe that the move goes against the fundamental logic of the Oslo framework, which clearly prohibited Israeli civilian control in Palestinian-administered territory.
Additional steps reinforce this pattern. Planning authority for Jewish settlement areas in Hebron has been transferred from the local municipality to the Civil Administration, removing the requirement for coordination with the Palestinian city government. A new dedicated municipal authority has also been established for the Rachel’s Tomb complex in Bethlehem, placing management of the sensitive religious site firmly under Israeli administrative control.
Critics say the decisions mark the end of the Oslo Accords. By asserting sovereignty over land registration, planning and enforcement in Palestinian-controlled areas, Israel seems to be executing a comprehensive territorial and demographic takeover. There are several physical measures, including new fencing and barriers in parts of the Jordan Valley, which appear designed to separate Palestinian communities and create space for more settlements.
Israeli leaders driving the measure say the changes are a correction of historical injustice. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Israel Ganz, head of the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council, argue that the previous legal regime effectively rendered Jewish residents “second-class citizens”, subject to what they describe as discriminatory Jordanian laws. Ganz has repeatedly argued that allowing Arabs to purchase land freely while restricting Jews was an untenable contradiction.
Proponents also stress environmental and heritage concerns. According to Ganz, the absence of Israeli enforcement in Palestinian-run areas has led to widespread pollution and systematic damage to archaeological sites, harming both populations. Smotrich has been more explicit about the broader political intent, stating openly that the goal is to “continue to bury the idea of a Palestinian state” and entrench Israeli control across the territory.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the cabinet’s decision as “dangerous” and “illegal”, accusing Israel of attempting to retroactively legalise settlement expansion and land confiscation. He called the measures null and void, asserting that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied territory and no authority to amend its legal status.
Hamas went further, calling for escalation and urging Palestinians in the West Bank and Jerusalem to intensify confrontations with Israeli forces and settlers. The group described the decision as part of a “fascist settler-colonial approach” and called on Arab and Islamic states to sever ties with Israel and expel its diplomats.
Regional actors also voiced concern. Jordan’s Foreign Ministry condemned the measures as a violation of international law and an attempt to impose illegal sovereignty over occupied land. Palestinian leaders have called for urgent intervention by the United States and the UN Security Council.
The timing of the announcement has drawn particular scrutiny. The cabinet’s approval comes just days before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington. Analysts argue that the move reflects a deliberate effort by Israel’s right wing to establish irreversible facts on the ground ahead of any diplomatic engagement.
While Trump has previously stated that he does not support formal annexation, citing commitments to Arab partners, critics argue that Israel’s current strategy achieves the same outcome through bureaucratic and administrative means. Peace Now, the Israeli anti-settlement watchdog, warned that the measures are designed to “break through every possible barrier” to large-scale land seizure. The group argues that while the government claims to be dismantling Hamas, it is simultaneously hollowing out the Palestinian Authority and nullifying signed agreements, pushing a viable two-state solution further out of reach.
