Israel Approves New Rules for West Bank Amid Palestinian Concerns

Israeli Government Announces Changes to Land Registration Rules in West Bank

The Israeli cabinet has announced changes to land registration rules in the occupied West Bank, allowing Israeli Jews to buy property in the territory and opening up land registries to the public. The new rules have raised concerns among Palestinians, who fear that they will lead to increased Israeli control over the area.

According to the announcement, land registries in the West Bank will be made publicly accessible, making it easier for Israelis to identify the owners of land and potentially harass or pressure them into selling their property. The cabinet has also decreed that authority over building permits for illegal Jewish settlements in Hebron and the Ibrahimi Mosque compound will pass from the Palestinian municipality to Israel.

The changes have been met with alarm by Palestinian officials, who view them as a clear attempt to increase Israeli control over the area. Moataz Abu Sneina, director of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, stated that the new rules reflect a “clear intention” to expand Israeli control over the Old City and the mosque compound.

Abu Sneina noted that the site is also revered by Jews, who refer to it as the Tomb of the Patriarchs. An Israeli Jewish settler killed 29 Palestinians at the mosque in 1994, leading to increased restrictions on access to the site. The Palestinian Hebron municipality has repeatedly attempted to strengthen its foothold inside Hebron and the mosque, but the latest government moves are seen as a continuation of this policy.

Mohannad al-Jaabari, director of the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee, warned that the Israeli government’s actions are part of a broader effort to take control of the city. He cited examples such as the confiscation of shops belonging to the Hebron Municipality, the construction of dozens of illegal settlement units, and the reconfiguration of water pipes to create an “apartheid system”.

The ultimate goal, according to al-Jaabari, is to establish a Jewish quarter linking settlements to the Ibrahimi Mosque by emptying Palestinian neighbourhoods of their residents.

Source: Al Jazeera