Israel is accelerating efforts to divide the West Bank into isolated enclaves, a move experts say aims to prevent any possibility of a viable Palestinian state. Under far-right ministers like Bezalel Smotrich, Israel is pursuing annexation policies, land seizures, and forced displacement of Palestinian communities while consolidating control over Area C.

Fragmentation Strategy Targets Palestinian Communities

Khalil Tufakji of the Applied Research Institute for Palestine (ARIJ) warned that Israel is creating disconnected Palestinian enclaves, linked only by controlled roads, tunnels, or bridges, with no prospects for sustainable development.

This approach undermines any vision for Palestinian statehood and strengthens Israeli control over strategic territories.

The recent escalation of forced displacements, especially in northern West Bank areas like Jenin, Nablus, and Tulkarm, complements broader settlement expansions. Israel’s actions in Masafer Yatta and similar areas, where Palestinians face near-daily displacement campaigns, illustrate the broader strategy.

Settlement, Annexation, and International Inaction

Calls for full annexation of the West Bank have intensified alongside the war on Gaza. Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana and other officials are pressuring Prime Minister Netanyahu to formalize Israeli sovereignty over occupied territories. Reports detail the systematic displacement of Bedouin communities and land confiscation efforts masked as “land settlement” policies.

These policies exploit legal loopholes to strip Palestinians of land rights, particularly targeting those living outside Jerusalem who are denied property claims due to administrative changes. Experts decry these actions as violations of international law and part of a deliberate effort to replace Palestinian populations with settlers, even transforming lands into agricultural zones to maintain control.