Palestinians Fear De Facto Annexation as Israel Changes West Bank Land Registration Rules

Rafah. Palestinian fears of de facto annexation have intensified after the Israeli government changed land registration rules in the West Bank. The cabinet's decision makes it easier for Jewish Israelis to purchase land in the illegally occupied territory.

Under the new arrangement, land records in the West Bank will be made public. This will make it easier for Israeli buyers and settlers to identify land ownership. However, local residents say this risks increasing pressure, threats, and harassment against Palestinian owners.

Furthermore, the government has stripped Palestinian municipalities of the authority to issue building permits for illegal Jewish settlements and the Ibrahimi Mosque complex in the city of Hebron, granting this power to Israel. Analysts say this move further strengthens Israel's direct control. Motaz Abu Sneineh, the director of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, called this the most serious development since 1967. According to him, this will further expand Israeli control over the Old City of Hebron and the mosque complex.

The Ibrahimi Mosque is a holy site for both Muslims and Jews. In 1994, after a Jewish settler shot and killed 29 Muslims who were praying, Israel divided the site into separate prayer areas.

Although there are currently only a few hundred Jewish settlers, they control large parts of Hebron under the protection of the Israeli army. The United Nations and most countries consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be against international law, but Israel has consistently rejected this view.