The European Union on Monday called on Israel to reverse its new measures aimed at registering land in the occupied West Bank, criticizing what it described as a “new escalation” in the region.
اضافة اعلان
An EU Commission spokesperson, Anwar Al-Anouni, said the Israeli decision “represents a new escalation… We remind that the annexation of the West Bank is illegal under international law. We call on Israel to reverse this decision.”
On Sunday, the Israeli government approved a proposal to reopen land registration in the West Bank for the first time since 1967, allowing the resumption of land settlement procedures in the area.
The proposal was presented by Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, and includes the renewal of the West Bank land settlement system that had been halted since 1967.
The Israeli Security Cabinet (the “Kabinett”) approved a series of measures last Sunday, introduced by Finance Minister Smotrich and Defense Minister Katz, which are expected to significantly alter the legal and civil reality in the occupied West Bank.
These decisions are anticipated to bring profound changes in the administration and registration of land in the West Bank, deepen the annexation plan, and allow for the demolition of Palestinian-owned buildings in Areas “A.” They aim to substantially expand settlement construction, with legal complexities tied to reversing them.
According to the official statement, the measures are designed to remove obstacles that have existed for decades, enabling accelerated settlement development in the area. They also nullify Jordanian laws that prohibit the sale of land to Jewish citizens.
Reuters
