By Micah Jonah
February 11, 2026
Palestinians have raised alarm over new Israeli government rules that make it easier for Israeli Jews to buy property, expand settlements in the West Bank, raising fears of de facto annexation.
The Israeli cabinet announced that land registries in the West Bank would be opened to the public, and authority over building permits for settlements in Hebron and the Ibrahimi Mosque compound would shift from the Palestinian municipality to Israel.
Moataz Abu Sneina, director of the Ibrahimi Mosque, called the move “the most serious development since 1967,” warning that it intensifies Israeli control over Hebron’s Old City and its holy sites.
Palestinian officials said Israeli settlers are already consolidating their presence through shop confiscations, illegal construction, and infrastructure changes, creating what one expert described as a “massive apartheid system.”
In Bethlehem, concerns are rising as similar measures target the Bilal bin Rabah Mosque, threatening access to Islamic cemeteries and local properties.
Palestinians warn that such actions are eroding their security, identity, and future, especially for children growing up under constant restrictions. Analysts say the latest moves could spread Israeli settlement expansion beyond Hebron, further undermining the peace process.
