Israel will begin contentious West Bank land registration in new step to deepen control

Israel will begin a contentious land regulation process in a large part of the occupied West Bank, which could result in Israel gaining control over wide swathes of the area for future development, according to a government decision on Sunday.It paves the way for the resumption of “settlement of land title” processes, which had been frozen in the West Bank since the Middle East war in 1967. It means that when Israel begins the land registration process for a certain area, anyone with a claim to the land must submit documents proving ownership.The Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now said the process probably amounts to a “mega land grab” from Palestinians.“This move is very dramatic and allows the state to gain control of almost all of Area C,” said Hagit Ofran, the director of Peace Now’s Settlement Watch programme. Area C refers to the 60 per cent of the West Bank that is under full Israeli military control, according to agreements reached in the 1990s with the Palestinians.The decision is the latest step to deepen Israeli control over the West Bank. In recent months, Israel has greatly expanded construction in Jewish settlements, legalised outposts and made significant bureaucratic changes to its policies in the territory to strengthen its hold and weaken the Palestinian Authority.Israel’s Foreign Ministry in a statement claimed, without offering evidence, that the Palestinian Authority was “advancing illegal land registration procedures in Area C” and said Sunday’s decision was taken for greater transparency.