The West Bank annexation plan approved by Israel’s security cabinet has drawn sharp reactions from Palestinian leaders and the United Nations, amid warnings it could accelerate settlement expansion and displacement of Palestinians.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for a “firm response” from the United States and the international community, describing the measures as violations of international law that undermine prospects for a viable Palestinian state.
The developments come as Israeli settlers demolished homes in the occupied West Bank, adding to rising tensions across the territory.
Abbas Calls for Firm US and International Action
Speaking during a visit to Oslo on Wednesday, Abbas said he had discussed Israel’s new measures with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, along with what he described as escalating settler violence and Israel’s freezing of 4 billion dollars intended for the Palestinian people.
“These serious violations require a firm response from the US administration and the international community because they hinder President Donald Trump’s efforts and constitute a violation of international law,” Abbas told reporters, according to AFP.
On Sunday, Israel’s security cabinet approved steps that would expand Israeli control in parts of the occupied West Bank currently administered by the Palestinian Authority under the Oslo Accords signed in the 1990s.
Key elements of the approved measures include:
Allowing Jewish Israelis to purchase land directly in the West Bank
Expanding Israeli administrative authority in areas under Palestinian Authority oversight
Granting Israeli authorities control over certain religious sites located in areas under Palestinian administration
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967. More than 500,000 Israeli settlers live in settlements and outposts across the territory, excluding annexed east Jerusalem. These settlements are considered illegal under international law. Around three million Palestinians reside in the West Bank.
UN Warns of Consolidated Annexation and Dispossession
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, said the measures represent another step toward consolidating what he described as unlawful annexation of Palestinian land.
“This is yet another step by the Israeli authorities towards rendering a viable Palestinian state impossible, in violation of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination,” Turk said in a statement from Geneva.
According to the UN rights office, if implemented, the decisions would:
Accelerate the dispossession of Palestinians
Increase the risk of forcible transfer
Lead to the creation of more illegal settlements
Further restrict Palestinians’ access to land and natural resources
Turk said the measures come amid increasing attacks by Israeli settlers and security forces against Palestinians in the West Bank, alongside documented cases of forced displacement, evictions, home demolitions, land seizures, and movement restrictions.
“We are witnessing rapid steps to change permanently the demography of the occupied Palestinian territory,” he said, urging that the decisions be overturned.
Settlers Demolish Palestinian Homes Near Jericho
In a separate development, residents and activists told AFP that Israeli settlers demolished around 15 Palestinian homes and an animal shelter in the village of Al Duyuk Al Tahta near Jericho.
According to local resident Mustafa Kaabneh, approximately 50 settlers arrived, forced families out, and began demolishing the structures. He said many were armed and masked and were accompanied by an Israeli army vehicle before returning with a bulldozer.
“About 50 settlers arrived, forced everyone out of the houses and began demolishing them. Then they took everything, even the chickens,” Kaabneh said.
Another resident, Bassem Kaabneh, said women and children were beaten and families expelled from their homes. “They told me: Enough, you do not have a home here anymore,” he said.
Abu Audi Al Rajabi, who owns one of the demolished houses, said no demolition order had been issued. A local activist stated that the homes were located in Area C, which under the Oslo Accords remains under full Israeli control.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment.
Rising Displacement in the West Bank
The United Nations reported last week that nearly 700 Palestinians were displaced in January due to Israeli settler violence and harassment, marking the highest monthly figure since the Gaza war began in October 2023.
Palestinians in the West Bank also face displacement when Israeli authorities demolish structures built without permits, which are rarely granted in Area C.
The latest measures approved by Israel’s security cabinet, combined with increasing settlement activity and settler violence, have intensified concerns about the long term status of the occupied West Bank and the feasibility of a two state solution.
For Iraq and the wider region, the developments are closely watched given their implications for regional stability and longstanding Arab positions on Palestinian statehood.
Conclusion:
As the West Bank annexation plan advances, Palestinian officials and the United Nations warn of deepening displacement and consolidation of Israeli control. Calls for international intervention are expected to grow as implementation of the measures proceeds.
