The Pak Global Pakistan:
The Israeli government has approved a controversial plan to designate large areas of the occupied West Bank as “state property” if Palestinians cannot prove land ownership, sparking widespread condemnation and accusations of “de facto annexation.”
The proposal, reported by Israel’s Kan broadcaster, was put forward by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, and Defence Minister Israel Katz. Smotrich described the move as part of “the settlement revolution to control all our lands,” while Levin framed it as a commitment to “strengthening its grip on all its parts.”
The plan revives the “settlement of land title” process, frozen since Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967. Under the new procedure, Palestinians must provide extensive documentation to assert ownership—a task made nearly impossible by decades of displacement and bureaucratic obstacles—potentially dispossessing thousands of families.
The Palestinian presidency condemned the decision as “a grave escalation and a flagrant violation of international law,” labeling it “de facto annexation.” It called on the international community, especially the United States and the United Nations Security Council, to intervene urgently to protect Palestinian rights.
This development comes amid ongoing regional tensions and has intensified international scrutiny of Israel’s settlement policies in the occupied territories.