Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, in a press release, introduced the selections that may make it simpler for Jewish settlers to pressure Palestinians to surrender land. File
| Photograph Credit score: Reuters
Israel’s safety cupboard on Sunday (February 8, 2026) accredited measures that goal to deepen Israeli management over the occupied West Financial institution and weaken the already restricted powers of the Palestinian Authority.
The workplace of far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich in a press release introduced the selections that may make it simpler for Jewish settlers to pressure Palestinians to surrender land, including that “we’ll proceed to bury the concept of a Palestinian state.” Yonatan Mizrachi, a researcher with the Israeli anti-settlement watchdog group Peace Now, referred to as the choice “very important”. He mentioned the choice nonetheless requires approval by Israel’s high commander for the West Financial institution.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in a press release, referred to as the choice “harmful” and an “open Israeli try and legalise settlement growth” and land confiscation. He referred to as for the US and the U.N. Safety Council to intervene instantly.
Jordan’s International Ministry condemned the choice, which it mentioned was “geared toward imposing unlawful Israeli sovereignty” and entrenching settlements.
The measures embrace cancelling a prohibition on gross sales of West Financial institution land to Israeli Jews, declassifying West Financial institution land registry data to ease land acquisition, transferring building planning at spiritual and different delicate websites within the risky metropolis of Hebron to Israeli authorities, and permitting Israeli enforcement of environmental and archaeological issues in Palestinian-administered areas.
The measures additionally would revive a committee that may enable the state of Israel to make “proactive” land purchases within the territory — “a step meant to ensure land reserves for settlement for generations to return.”
Peace Now in an explainer issued on late Sunday (February 8, 2026) referred to as the choice geared toward “breaking by each potential barrier on the way in which to an enormous land seize within the West Financial institution.” Notably, it mentioned, Israeli authorities will have the ability to demolish building in Palestinian-controlled areas in the event that they deem it dangerous to heritage or the surroundings.
The West Financial institution is split between an Israeli-controlled part the place settlements are situated and sections equalling 40% of the territory the place the Palestinian Authority has autonomy.
Palestinians are usually not permitted to promote land privately to Israelis. Settlers should purchase houses on land managed by Israel’s authorities.
Requested about settlers’ claims that the present system is discriminatory in opposition to Jews, Mizrachi mentioned your entire system within the West Financial institution discriminates in opposition to Palestinians, who are usually not allowed to vote in Israeli elections and face Israeli navy crackdowns and journey restrictions.
Greater than 700,000 Israelis dwell within the occupied West Financial institution and east Jerusalem, territories captured by Israel in 1967 and sought by the Palestinians for a future state. The worldwide group overwhelmingly considers Israeli settlement building in these areas to be unlawful and an impediment to peace.
Mr. Smotrich, beforehand a firebrand settler chief and now Finance Minister, has been granted cabinet-level authority over settlement insurance policies and vowed to double the settler inhabitants within the West Financial institution.
Settler group Regavim, in a press release, praised Sunday’s resolution, saying it will shield heritage websites within the West Financial institution and “in the end” make land registry accessible and clear.
In December, Israel’s Cupboard accredited a proposal for 19 new Jewish settlements within the West Financial institution as the federal government pushes forward with a building binge that additional threatens the potential of a Palestinian state. And Israel has cleared the ultimate hurdle earlier than beginning building on a contentious settlement venture close to Jerusalem that may successfully reduce the West Financial institution in two, based on a authorities tender reported in January.
Printed – February 09, 2026 04:06 am IST