As Israel advances West Bank land registration, Palestinians see de facto annexation
The plan restarts a land registration process in Area C of the West Bank, requiring Palestinians to prove ownership or risk having their land classified as state property.
Israel’s security cabinet recently approved a plan to register land in Israeli-controlled areas of the occupied West Bank, providing the government with a legal mechanism to potentially claim Palestinian land. The move further raises concerns that the far-right government is laying the groundwork for broader annexation, experts say.
The plan restarts a land registration process that has been paused since 1968. It applies specifically to Area C, which makes up about 60% of the West Bank and is under full Israeli civil and military control.
Once authorities designate a specific area for registration, anyone claiming ownership must submit documentation to prove it. Land that cannot be substantiated may then be classified as state property, allowing Israel to take control of the land and potentially dispossess Palestinian residents in that area.
'De jure annexation'
