Israel security cabinet approves rules to increase control over West Bank

Israel's security cabinet has approved a series of measures aimed at increasing Israeli control over the occupied West Bank. This decision has been described by the Palestinian presidency as a "dangerous" attempt to legalize settlement expansion. The measures, announced by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defence Minister Israel Katz, are set to weaken the already limited powers of the Palestinian Authority and facilitate the expansion of Jewish settlements in the region. The new policies include the removal of longstanding regulations that previously barred Jewish citizens from purchasing land in the West Bank. This change is expected to make it easier for Jewish settlers to compel Palestinians to relinquish their land. Smotrich's office stated that these decisions are part of a broader strategy to "continue to bury the idea of a Palestinian state," indicating a significant shift in Israeli governance in the area. Additionally, the measures have been characterized as a step towards further de facto annexation of the West Bank, with implications for the legal status of Palestinian land. Critics argue that these changes essentially legalize settlement activities that have been deemed illegal under international law. The overall impact of these decisions is likely to exacerbate tensions between Israeli settlers and Palestinians in the occupied territory.