Israel’s defense minister, Israel Katz, announced a series of measures Monday designed to expand Israeli control over the West Bank, prompting condemnation from European and Arab nations and a restatement of the Trump administration’s opposition to annexation of the occupied territory.
The measures, approved by the Israeli security cabinet, include repealing a law dating back to the pre-1967 Jordanian era that prohibited the sale of land to non-Arabs, and transferring authority over building permits in Hebron from the Palestinian municipality to the Israeli civil administration, the army’s occupation authority. Control of the Jewish settlement around Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem will also shift from Palestinian to direct Israeli governance, according to statements from Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Katz and Smotrich jointly declared their intent to “kill the idea of a Palestinian state,” signaling a hardening of policy towards the Palestinians. The moves are widely seen as an effort to solidify Israeli settlements and preempt any future establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state.
The European Union swiftly criticized the measures, calling them “another step in the wrong direction.” An EU spokesperson indicated that sanctions, including potential suspension of parts of the EU-Israel trade agreement, remain under consideration.
A joint statement released by Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Turkey condemned the Israeli decisions as “illegal” and aimed at imposing Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank. The Arab and Islamic states warned that the measures would “inflame violence, deepen the conflict and endanger regional stability, and security.”
The United Kingdom also condemned the Israeli actions, stating that any unilateral attempt to alter the demographic or geographic makeup of Palestine is “wholly unacceptable” and inconsistent with international law. The UK called for an immediate reversal of the decisions.
The United States, while not issuing a formal statement from the administration, signaled through a White House official that President Trump continues to oppose the annexation of the West Bank. “President Trump has clearly stated that he does not support Israel annexing the West Bank,” the official said. “A stable West Bank keeps Israel secure and is in line with this administration’s goal to achieve peace in the region.”
The Palestinian Authority, based in Ramallah, issued a statement warning that the new Israeli measures represent a deepening attempt to annex the occupied West Bank. The PA’s authority in the West Bank has been weakened in recent decades by financial constraints, Israeli obstruction of development, settlement expansion, and internal corruption.
The transfer of building permit authority in Hebron could violate the 1997 Hebron Protocol, which divided the city into Israeli and Palestinian-controlled sectors. The new rules also aim to simplify the process of determining land ownership in the West Bank and facilitate property purchases by non-Arabs.
A planned meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump is scheduled for Wednesday at the White House.
