Arab and Islamic Nations Condemn Israel’s Move to Register West Bank Lands
A coalition of Arab and Islamic nations has issued a strong condemnation following a decision by the Israeli government to initiate a land registration process in the occupied West Bank. The move, approved by the Israeli Security Cabinet on Sunday, marks a significant shift in the administration of the territory, prompting warnings from regional leaders that the policy constitutes “de facto annexation” and a flagrant violation of international law.
Foreign ministers from a group of countries—including Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Qatar—released a joint statement denouncing the measure. The diplomats described the decision as an illegal attempt to alter the legal and historical status of the occupied Palestinian territories. They argued that the registration process, which allows the Israeli Justice Ministry to oversee land rights in Area C, effectively extends Israeli sovereignty over land that the international community views as the future site of a Palestinian state.
“These measures are null and void under international law and undermine the prospects of a two-state solution,” the joint statement read. The ministers called on the international community, specifically the United Nations Security Council and the United States, to intervene immediately to halt what they termed a “dangerous escalation” that threatens regional stability. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League echoed these sentiments, characterizing the policy as a mechanism to entrench occupation and facilitate settlement expansion.
The controversy stems from a directive championed by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defense Minister Israel Katz. The new policy authorizes the Israeli Justice Ministry’s Land Registry to begin registering land rights in Area C—a zone that comprises roughly 60 percent of the West Bank and is under full Israeli military control. Since 1967, land records in the West Bank have largely been kept confidential and managed by the military administration to prevent friction. Israeli officials argue that the new transparent registration system is necessary to “restore order,” prevent legal disputes, and curb what they allege is illegal construction and land registration by the Palestinian Authority.
“For the first time since the Six-Day War, we are regulating land rights to create legal certainty and enable responsible development,” Minister Smotrich stated following the cabinet vote. He asserted that the move was a response to a “vacuum” that had allowed the Palestinian Authority to register land unilaterally.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) rejected the Israeli justification, viewing the bureaucratic change as a strategic geopolitical maneuver. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesperson for the Palestinian presidency, warned that the decision represents an “official launch” of annexation plans. “This is a termination of signed agreements and a violation of UN resolutions, particularly Resolution 2334,” he said. The PA fears that requiring Palestinians to prove ownership under a new Israeli civilian system could lead to the mass seizure of property where documentation is missing or contested.
Legal experts note that transferring authority over occupied territory from military to civilian hands is often interpreted as a step toward applying domestic law to that territory—a process synonymous with annexation. While Israel has not formally declared sovereignty over the West Bank, critics argue that normalizing land laws to match those inside Israel erases the distinction between the settlements and the state proper.
As diplomatic pressure mounts, the participating Arab and Islamic states have indicated they will pursue further diplomatic avenues to challenge the decision on the global stage, emphasizing that peace in the region remains contingent on the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state along the 1967 borders.
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