Muslim nations protest as Israel tightens grip on West Bank, Pg14

Key Highlights:

• Israel's security cabinet approved measures on February 2026 to ease Jewish settlements and increase control over the West Bank.
• Eight Muslim-majority countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Pakistan, condemned the measures.
• The new rules declassify land registries and allow Jewish individuals to directly purchase land in the West Bank.
• Israel will expand oversight in Areas A and B of the West Bank, regions partially governed by the Palestinian Authority.
• Authority over building permits for Jewish settlements in Hebron will transfer from the Palestinian-run Hebron Municipality to the Israeli government.
• Since October 7, 2023, at least 870 Palestinians, including 177 children, have been killed by settlers and Israeli forces.
• Between October 2023 and January 2026, 4,037 Palestinians have been displaced due to settler violence across the West Bank.

Detailed Insights:

• The measures aim to remove barriers, repeal Jordanian legislation, and accelerate settlement development.
• Previously, Jews could only buy land in the West Bank through companies, not as individuals.
• The term "Judea and Samaria" is used by Israelis to refer to the West Bank, drawing from biblical terminology.
• The Oslo Accords divided the West Bank into Areas A, B, and C, with varying degrees of Palestinian and Israeli control.
• Area C of the West Bank remains under full Israeli control, facilitating settlement expansion.
• The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported the displacement of Palestinian communities in the Jordan Valley due to violence.
• Foreign Ministers from Saudi Arabia and other nations view Israel's actions as undermining the two-state solution.
• These nations reaffirm that Israel has no sovereignty over the West Bank and support a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders.

Key Concepts Involved:

• West Bank: A landlocked territory near the Mediterranean coast of Western Asia, claimed by the State of Palestine.
• Oslo Accords: Agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
• Two-state solution: A proposed framework for resolving the Israeli–Palestinian conflict by establishing two independent states.