‘Dangerous escalation’: Nations condemn Israel over occupied West Bank move

Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar slam Israel’s decision to register occupied West Bank lands as ‘state property’.

The Israeli government’s decision to approve the land registration process in the occupied West Bank as “state property” has drawn widespread condemnation from regional countries and international organisations.

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday the measure would enable “transparent and thorough clarification of rights to resolve legal disputes” and was needed after unlawful land registration in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority (PA).

The decision allows for the revival of the “settlement of land title” processes, frozen since 1967 when Israel occupied the West Bank.

The Palestinian presidency condemned the Israeli move, calling it a “grave escalation and a flagrant violation of international law”, which amounts to “de facto annexation”. It called on the international community, especially the United States and the United Nations, to intervene immediately.

Hamas also denounced the move as an attempt “to steal and Judaise lands in the occupied West Bank by registering them as so-called ‘state lands'”.