A series of cabinet decisions revealed two days ago by ynet, which sparked anger across the Arab world, are dramatic and are reshaping the emerging reality on the ground in the region. Among other developments, ynet reported that the approved measures are expected to lead to far-reaching changes in land registration and acquisition procedures in Judea and Samaria, changes that would allow the state to demolish structures on Palestinian-owned land in Area A.
A White House official reiterated overnight, between Monday and Tuesday, President Donald Trump’s opposition to the annexation of Judea and Samaria. In response to the cabinet decisions, the official said that "A stable West Bank keeps Israel secure and is in line with this administration’s goal to achieve peace in the region." The official added that “Trump has stated clearly that he does not support Israel’s annexation of the West Bank.”
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Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on a joint tour of Judea and Samaria
(Photo: Elad Malka, Shira Kenan/ The Defence Ministry)
These are decisions whose repeal would involve significant legal complexity, and one of their consequences is a major expansion of Jewish settlement throughout Judea and Samaria. One decision concerns land registration, with the cabinet now allowing the removal of existing confidentiality over land registries in the territories. As a result, the records will be made public, enabling potential buyers to identify landowners and approach them to purchase land. Until now, land registration in Judea and Samaria had been classified.
The architects of the series of decisions are Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. As early as last month, the two sought opinions from security officials on the matter, including assessments from the IDF Central Command and other bodies. In the opinions submitted by those officials, they supported each decision but requested that implementation be delayed until after the month of Ramadan, a period that is considered particularly sensitive each year. At this stage, the ministers appear to have accepted the request, and implementation is expected to begin after that period.
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Israel takes full control: the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron
( Photo: Ilan Rosenberg/ Reuters)
Each of the decisions approved is significant in its own right. One example is Israel’s move to strip the Hebron municipality of full control over the city and the Cave of the Patriarchs, allowing Israel to carry out changes in the area without Palestinian involvement or discussions over authority. The move carries broad diplomatic implications.
Another major clause involves renewing a mechanism that would allow the state to purchase land in Judea and Samaria. The explanatory notes to the proposal state: “Until about two decades ago, there was a committee for the purchase of land in Judea and Samaria by the State of Israel. This committee included representatives of the Israel Land Authority, the Defense Ministry, the Finance Ministry and a legal adviser. Over the years, for reasons unknown to us, the committee ceased operating. It is proposed to renew the committee and the mechanism that allows the state to purchase land in the area, and through this to carry out proactive land purchases by the state.”
In effect, the cabinet decided to revive a committee that stopped operating 22 years ago. In this context, it should be noted that during the 1980s, the same committee operated largely under the radar because of the legal status of the area. At the time, a private company carried out land purchases on behalf of the state. Under the current decision, the committee’s activity will be made public, and Israel will purchase land directly from Palestinians.
Under the plan, the Settlement Administration established at Smotrich’s initiative will conduct preparatory work to form a special team that will operate the new land acquisition mechanism. The team is expected to define criteria for land purchases, possibly based on strategic considerations or on meeting the needs of the growing Jewish population. The fact that the state will stand directly behind the move is significant, as it has substantial budgets that could enable large-scale land purchases. The funding source for the new mechanism has not yet been determined, but Smotrich’s role as finance minister suggests that funding may ultimately be secured.
‘A Zionist, moral and security step of the highest order’
Regarding the removal of confidentiality and the publication of land registries, the decision would make it possible to issue land ownership extracts and identify the owner of a specific parcel, in a process similar to that used within Israel’s pre-1967 borders. However, only about one-third of land ownership documents are currently properly registered, meaning extensive preparatory work will be required to make ownership information accessible.
The clause renewing the land purchase mechanism is complex and sensitive. Still, approval of the decision is linked to steps the government is promoting toward the application of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. In practice, the series of decisions altering Israel’s approach to land policy in the West Bank creates a more accommodating framework for Jewish land acquisition beyond the Green Line. Critics argue that these changes amount to the implementation of sovereignty on the ground in practice.
Local leaders in Judea and Samaria fully understand the significance of the decisions and, unsurprisingly, welcomed them. “Removing barriers, repealing discriminatory Jordanian legislation and restoring civil equality are a Zionist, moral and security step of the highest order,” said Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council. “This is a tremendous boost to settlement, to holding the land and to the future of the State of Israel. I thank Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and call for continuing until full sovereignty is applied in Judea and Samaria.”
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer; condemnation in London
(Photo: James Manning, Pool Photo via AP)
Israel Gantz, head of the Binyamin Regional Council and chairman of the Yesha Council, echoed those sentiments. “This is a historic day. For the first time, the disgrace whereby an Arab could purchase land in Judea and Samaria while a Jew was prohibited from doing so has been removed,” he said. “Today, this shameful discrimination finally comes to an end. The State of Israel has decided to take responsibility for the territories of Judea and Samaria as it should have done years ago. It appears that the security establishment is aligning with the demands of the political leadership and enabling these moves, at a time when terror figures are in steady decline in Judea and Samaria, as they have not been for years.”
Internationally, the decisions have drawn significant attention, against the backdrop of Trump’s pledge last year that he would not allow Israel to annex Judea and Samaria, at least not formally. On Monday evening, Britain sharply condemned the cabinet decisions and called on the Israeli government to reverse them. “Any unilateral attempt to change the geography or demography of Palestine is unacceptable and would be contrary to international law,” the statement said. “We call on Israel to reverse these decisions immediately.”