New annexation move by Israel in the West Bank: 15 thousand 813 decares of land were seized

In the statement made by the council, it was stated that the decision was taken after the boundaries of an old land declaration dated 1983 were re-examined by the unit known as the "Blue Line Team".

In the statement, "Within the scope of the regulation, 19 thousand 451 decares of land were included in the borders, while 3 thousand 638 decares were excluded. Thus, there was a net increase of 15 thousand 813 decares in the areas that Israel classified as "state land" and confiscated. With this decision, a total of 79 thousand 823 decares of land in the towns of Beytillu and al-Mezraa el-Kıbliyye were included in the scope of this classification." expressions were used.

The Council warned that the expansion decision aims to provide land for future use to the "Talmon" settlement block, which includes the Nahliel, Neriya and Kerem Reim settlements, which were established by usurping Palestinian lands, and to create geographical integrity between the settlements in the region.

It was noted that the step in question increased the pressure on Palestinian agricultural lands, deepened the geographical fragmentation between villages, and narrowed the areas where residents could expand their settlements and agricultural activities.

In the statement, it was pointed out that Israel's decision came a few days after the seizure of 2 thousand 536 decares of land in the same region, which includes the towns of Beytillu, al-Mazraa al-Qibliyya and Deir Ammar.

It was noted that these developments show that attempts to seize lands in the northwest of Ramallah and reshape the geographical structure of the region have intensified.

On February 15, 2026, the Israeli government approved the proposal to start the process of registering lands in the West Bank as "state property" for the first time since 1967.

According to the Israeli newspaper Yisrael Hayom, the step in question aims to gradually annex 15 percent of "Area C" by 2030.

Within the scope of the Second Oslo Accords signed between the Palestinian administration and Israel in 1995, the West Bank was divided into zones A, B and C.

The administrative and security control of "Area A", which constitutes approximately 18 percent of the West Bank, was left to the Palestinian administration, and the administrative control of "Area B", which constitutes approximately 22 percent, was left to the Palestinian administration, and its security was left to Israel.

Administrative and security control of "Area C", which constitutes more than 60 percent, was transferred to Israel.

While Palestinians evaluate these steps of Israel as preparation for the annexation of the West Bank, they state that these practices undermine the principle of the two-state solution on which the United Nations resolutions are based.

According to 2024 data of the Israeli non-governmental organization Peace Now Movement, while approximately 3 million Palestinians live in the occupied West Bank, excluding East Jerusalem, the population of Israelis who usurped Palestinian lands has exceeded 500 thousand.

According to Palestinian statistics, there are approximately 750 thousand Israelis in the occupied West Bank in 141 illegal settlements and 224 illegal settlements established by Jewish groups and considered "illegal" according to Israeli law. Approximately 250 thousand of them live in 15 settlements in occupied East Jerusalem.

The Jewish settlements established by Israel in the occupied territories and the transfer of its population there are considered illegal under international law.