Video: Over 80 UN states condemn Israeli measures in occupied West Bank

In February 2026, Israel took steps to increase control over the occupied West Bank. The Israeli security cabinet approved measures facilitating land purchases by settlers, repealing previous regulations. The government also approved reactivating land registration in the area for the first time since 1967. These actions allow Israel to potentially claim ownership of significant portions of land Palestinians hoped to include in a future state. Experts suggest this accelerated confiscation of Palestinian land could trigger renewed violence. Guests on Inside Story discussed the implications of these actions.

Israeli NGOs are expressing concern over a government-approved settlement plan that could expand Jerusalem's borders into the occupied West Bank for the first time since 1967. The plan, announced by the Ministry of Construction and Housing, involves expanding the Geva Binyamin (Adam) settlement, located northeast of Jerusalem in the West Bank. If implemented, this would mark a westward expansion of the settlement. The international community does not recognize Israel's annexation of East Jerusalem, which Palestinians claim as the capital of their future state. The announcement comes amid increasing international criticism of Israeli measures aimed at solidifying control over the West Bank.

Israel will begin a land registration process in the occupied West Bank, specifically in Area C, which is under full Israeli military control. This process, frozen since 1967, requires anyone claiming land ownership to provide documentation. The Israeli government says this will allow for future development. Peace Now, an Israeli anti-settlement group, claims this amounts to a "mega land grab" from Palestinians, potentially giving Israel control of almost all of Area C. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the decision as a violation of international law and a de facto annexation, calling for international intervention. This decision is the latest in a series of steps by Israel to deepen its control over the West Bank.

Israeli settlers are repeatedly chasing Palestinians out of their homes in occupied West Bank villages as new policies expand annexation plans and deepen displacement cycles. The attacks are driving Bedouin Palestinians from their ancestral lands, threatening ethnic cleansing. In recent years, Israeli authorities have been expanding annexation plans in the region, leading to increased tensions between settlers and Palestinian residents. The displaced Palestinians often face difficulties in accessing basic services such as healthcare and education. The situation is particularly dire for Bedouin communities, who have lived in the West Bank for centuries. The displacement of Palestinians by Israeli settlers has become a recurring pattern in occupied West Bank villages.

Israeli settlers have displaced 15 Palestinian families in the northern Jordan Valley of the occupied West Bank, according to a local official speaking to Wafa news agency on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. The families were forced to dismantle their homes due to increasing settler violence. Seven additional families from the Maita community were similarly displaced days earlier. Separately, settlers assaulted men from Nabi Samwil village, injuring one. These incidents occur amid increased Israeli military activity in the West Bank, including raids and demolitions. The Israeli government has also advanced measures to solidify control over the occupied territory, such as easing land purchases for settlers and opening Palestinian land registration as Israeli state land.

Rights groups have condemned a recent Israeli proposal to register land in the occupied West Bank as state property. Approved in February 2026, the policy change raises concerns that Palestinians face an increased risk of displacement and land loss. Experts contend that this land registration policy constitutes a violation of international law. The move is viewed by critics as a de facto annexation of West Bank territory. The policy's implementation and potential impact on Palestinian residents are being closely monitored.

In February 2026, ambassadors from over 80 United Nations member states condemned Israeli actions in the occupied West Bank. The condemnation addresses measures taken by Israel to increase its control over the territory. The location of the condemnation was the United Nations. The reason for the condemnation is the belief among Palestinians that these Israeli measures are leading to a de-facto annexation of their land in the West Bank. The UN states expressed their collective disapproval in response to these developments.

Over 80 UN member states condemned Israel's plan to expand control over the occupied West Bank and claim Palestinian territory as Israeli "state property" in a joint statement issued on February 18, 2026. The coalition, represented by the Palestinian Ambassador to the UN, stated that these unilateral decisions violate international law and undermine peace efforts. The statement specifically opposed measures altering the demographic composition of the occupied Palestinian territory since 1967, including East Jerusalem. Signatories included countries like Australia, Canada, China, France, and several international organizations like the EU and the Arab League. The condemnation follows Israel's decision to implement land registration in Area C of the West Bank for the first time since the beginning of its occupation in 1967.