UK Condemns Israeli Cabinet Move to Expand West Bank Control

The UK government said Israel’s security cabinet had approved steps that would significantly alter land management and administrative authority in the occupied West Bank, prompting a strong response from London.

UK Government Statement

A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said the UK “strongly condemns” the decision taken by Israel’s security cabinet to expand Israeli control over the West Bank.

The spokesperson said the proposals involved major changes to land ownership, enforcement mechanisms and administrative powers, warning that they would damage prospects for peace and stability.

The UK said any unilateral attempt to change the geographic or demographic composition of Palestine was “wholly unacceptable” and inconsistent with international law, and called on Israel to reverse the decisions.

Two-State Position Reiterated

The statement said the UK continued to view a two-state solution as the only viable path to long-term peace, with Israel and a sovereign Palestinian state existing side by side.

Details of Israeli Measures

Israel’s security cabinet approved the measures on Sunday, according to official statements. The changes are aimed at reshaping the legal and civil framework governing the West Bank to strengthen Israeli control.

Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported that the decisions include repealing restrictions on the sale of West Bank land to Israeli private individuals, opening land ownership records, and transferring authority over building permits in a settlement bloc near Hebron from a Palestinian municipality to Israel’s civil administration.