A plan to register West Bank land in Area C as Israeli property has been approved by the Israeli government. Palestinian and Arab officials condemned the plan, stating it is a form of takeover of the occupied land.
The proposed scheme supported by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government involves commencing registration of the land in Area C. Area C, representing sixty percent of the West Bank, is under complete Israeli control. In the absence of proof of Palestinian ownership, land can become Israeli property.
Israeli officials state this plan is to address land ownership disputes and create clarification. The plan, they say, is a response to unauthorized Palestinian land registration in Israeli-controlled territories.
Palestinian officials state this move is void and a step to the formalization of an Israeli land seizure. They consider this a violation of international law and UN resolutions. They state that it will encourage Israeli settlement construction and inhibit a negotiated two-state solution.
The Arab nations, including Egypt, Jordan and Qatar, expressed opposition to this proposal, citing it as a violation of international law and a cause of regional conflict. They suspect Israel intends to solidify its claim on the territory. Palestinian legal experts agree that the reassessment of the land will likely impact landowners. Lack of documentation among many landowners stems from decades of occupation. Settlement building will ensue.
This action is Israel’s most significant attempt to register the land since its occupation of the West Bank in 1967. This proposal is being implemented while Israeli settlements and changes to the administration of the West Bank persist. The world has not ceased to react. Calls for intervention to block this proposal have increased due to its implications for the West Bank.