Jerusalem (Monitoring Desk) – Israel’s recent move to designate certain lands in the West Bank as so-called “state land” has drawn strong reactions from nearly 100 countries and three major international and regional blocs. The Arab League, European Union, and OIC have called on Israel to immediately revoke the decision.
According to the Palestinian mission, the move aims to strengthen Israeli control over occupied Palestinian territories and undermine the two-state solution. Foreign ministers from an eight-member Muslim bloc also condemned the approval of new land registration and settlement procedures in the West Bank.
The Israeli cabinet approved measures last week that would expand Israeli civil authority over Areas A and B of the West Bank, covering roughly 40 percent of the territory. Israeli NGO Peace Now warned that the government’s new planning could effectively extend Jerusalem’s boundaries westward toward the settlement of Giv’at Binyamin, linking it to Jerusalem.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abbasi, senior imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem, said Israeli authorities have barred him from entering the mosque compound for one week, with the possibility of extension. This development comes just days before the start of Ramadan.
Israeli police stated that 10,000 permits are being issued for Palestinians in the West Bank to enter Jerusalem. Analysts, however, warn that these developments may further heighten regional tensions and negatively impact the prospects for peace.
