Demolition of Palestinian homes in the West Bank

Arab governments including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates have sharply criticized Israel’s latest moves to expand settlement activity and broaden Israeli authority in the occupied West Bank, warning the steps could amount to de facto annexation.

The condemnation follows decisions announced Sunday by Israel’s security cabinet that ease restrictions on land purchases by Jewish settlers and extend Israeli enforcement powers into areas that were previously under Palestinian administrative control. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the government would “continue to kill the idea of a Palestinian state,” signalling strong opposition to a two-state solution.

In a joint statement, foreign ministers from several Middle Eastern and Muslim-majority countries — including Egypt and Turkey — said the measures violate international law and threaten regional stability. They warned that the policies would entrench Israeli control, displace Palestinians, and undermine prospects for an independent Palestinian state.

Under the new rules, Israel is repealing a Jordan-era law that kept West Bank land registries confidential and removing permit requirements for certain land transactions. Israeli officials say this will make it easier for Jews to purchase land in the territory.

Settlement watchdog group Peace Now said the changes normalize Israeli presence in the West Bank and represent a significant step toward annexation. The group also warned that expanded enforcement powers could lead to increased demolitions of Palestinian homes and restrictions on Palestinian development beyond Area C.

The cabinet also approved broader Israeli monitoring of water use, environmental issues, and archaeological sites in Areas A and B — zones that, under the 1993 Oslo Accords, are supposed to be under Palestinian or shared control.

In cities such as Hebron, Palestinian residents expressed concern that the decisions will accelerate land confiscation, settlement expansion, and home demolitions.

Most of the international community considers Israeli settlements illegal under international law and views the West Bank as central to any future Palestinian state. The latest measures are expected to further strain Israel’s relations with regional partners and complicate diplomatic efforts toward a two-state solution.

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Key Takeaways

• Arab states condemned Israel’s expanded settlement and enforcement powers.

• New rules ease land purchases for settlers and widen Israeli authority.

• Critics warn the moves could amount to de facto annexation of the West Bank.

Arab states criticise Israel as it expands powers in occupied West Bank

And nobody is doing anything about Israel's annexation of Gaza and the West Bank. It's time the world starts treating Israel as the pariah it has shown itself to be.