US President Donald Trump had previously emphasized that he would not permit Israel to annex the territory
Israel has acted to strengthen its hold on the West Bank by approving a series of policy changes that have been condemned by the Palestinian Authority (PA), as well as Arab and Muslim nations and the European Union.
A large portion of the West Bank is under the control of the Israeli military, with the Palestinian Authority administering limited self-rule in specific zones. The area is categorized into Areas A, B, and C, with Israel exercising authority over security and civilian affairs in most of Area C, which contains the bulk of Israeli settlements.
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Reforms approved by the Israeli Cabinet on Sunday are designed to simplify the process for settlers to purchase land in the West Bank and to grant Israeli authorities expanded enforcement capabilities regarding Palestinians. According to The Times of Israel, which cited statements from Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, the measures involve eliminating long-standing regulations that barred Jewish private citizens from acquiring land in the West Bank.
Reports also indicated the reforms contain clauses that would allow Israeli authorities to assume oversight of certain religious sites and increase monitoring and enforcement within areas under Palestinian Authority governance, particularly targeting environmental hazards, water infractions, and damage to archaeological locations.
These changes are being implemented despite a peace plan from US President Donald Trump that assigns daily governance in Gaza to a 15-member Palestinian technocrat team operating under a ‘Board of Peace.’ This body was introduced last month as a component of a US-mediated ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. Trump has reiterated that he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank.
The PA denounced Israel’s “illegitimate and illegal” decisions and called for intervention from the UN and the US. The Palestinian militant group Hamas called for an “escalation” of the conflict “by all available means,” while also requesting that Arab and Muslim nations cut diplomatic relations with Israel.
The move was also condemned by the EU and the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. In a joint statement, the ministers expressed concern over Israel’s “continued expansionist” policies and urged the international community to take action.
These recent Israeli actions follow earlier approvals for settlement construction, including steps announced in December. It is reported that over 700,000 Israelis now reside in settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories that Israel captured from Jordan in 1967 and which Palestinians seek for a future state. Critics caution that the ongoing expansion of settlements risks permanently damaging the possibility of a two-state solution.