Israel Gives Itself More Control Over Occupied West Bank

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 6 min read 100% complete by David M. Halbfinger and Isabel KershnerFebruary 9, 2026 at 07:55 PM

AI Summary

long article 6 min

In February 2026, Israel's security cabinet made changes to West Bank policy, granting itself greater control over the occupied territory. The measures, decided in a closed-door meeting, ease land acquisition for Jewish settlers and undermine the Palestinian Authority in areas it administers. Critics say these actions violate the Oslo Accords and international law, accelerating annexation efforts. The changes come after President Trump's rejection of annexation and support for Israeli-Palestinian talks. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated the goal is to deepen Israeli roots in the West Bank and bury the idea of a Palestinian state. These actions occur amidst increased Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank following the Hamas-led attack in 2023.

Keywords

occupied west bank 100% israeli annexation 80% jewish settlements 70% oslo accords 70% palestinian authority 60% international law 60% palestinian state 50% benjamin netanyahu 50% trump peace plan 40% security cabinet 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative
Score: -0.40

Source Transparency

Source
New York Times - World
Political Lean
Center-Left (-0.30)
Far LeftCenterFar Right
Classification Confidence
90%
Geographic Perspective
Israel

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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