Israeli Government's Controversial Measures in West Bank Raise International Concerns

The Israeli government's recent decision to expand its control over the occupied Palestinian territories of the West Bank has sparked alarm among legal experts and the international community. The measures, approved on Sunday, are considered a de facto annexation of certain areas and jeopardize the welfare of Palestinians, forcing them to abandon their lands and properties without addressing Israel's essential security needs. Eitan Diamond, an expert from the International Humanitarian Law Center, expressed concern that the actions serve to benefit Israeli citizens at the expense of Palestinians. These measures clash with the Oslo Accords and permit Jews to buy land in the occupied West Bank by suspending a Jordanian law from 1953 that prohibited such transactions. Furthermore, they involve the opening of property registries to facilitate these sales, the expansion of Israeli control over Hebron, and the establishment of parallel local governance for settlers. Diamond highlighted that Israel's presence in the West Bank had been deemed illegal by the International Court of Justice in July 2024. This ruling followed a UN General Assembly resolution demanding Israel's withdrawal from the occupied territories by September 2025. Rather than reversing its illegal presence, the new measures further entrench it. Both the UN and the International Court of Justice recognize the West Bank as occupied territory, designating Israel as the occupying power. According to Diamond, the law of occupation, which regulates the temporary administration of territory by foreign powers, is built on the idea that such situations should be temporary. The occupying power must administer the territory in favor of its civilian population and should not introduce legislative changes that benefit its own citizens. The invalidation of Jordanian law and facilitation of land purchases by settlers contravene these principles, jeopardizing fundamental rights such as housing, property, freedom of movement, and the right to self-determination for the Palestinian population. The legal expert asserts that these measures signify a de facto annexation of larger Palestinian territories, transferring powers from the Palestinian Authority to the Israeli Civil Administration. This move contradicts the international prohibition against acquiring territory by force. The Palestinian Authority has decried these measures as an escalation in Israel's annexation efforts, while Jordan has asserted that these actions assert its sovereignty over the region. The European Union has also condemned the measures as violations of international law. Conversely, Eugene Kontorovich, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at George Mason University, contends that Israel is within its rights to repeal Jordanian legislation because the West Bank is disputed territory. He argues that if Jordan could enact a law barring Jews from purchasing land, Israel is justified in nullifying it, as this area never officially belonged to Jordan. This recent approval comes after a Knesset committee debate on a bill proposing the formal annexation of the West Bank, led by Avi Maoz of the far-right Noam party. Although this initiative faced opposition, including from US President Donald Trump, the Israeli cabinet's endorsement of these measures allows them to be implemented without parliamentary consent. This has been affirmed by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has indicated that the implementation could occur prior to national elections set for October 2026. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2