Hamid Khoshayand – Regional Affairs Expert

The approval of the new law by Netanyahu’s extremist cabinet on February 8, 2025, has lit the final green light for the expansion of settlement activities and the extension of the Zionist regime’s illegitimate sovereignty over the sensitive Areas A and B; areas which, according to the Oslo Accords, were supposed to remain under Palestinian security control.

Under the new law, the Zionist regime reduces restrictions on land sales to settlers. It assumes the authority to decide on land use in Areas A and B, which were formally under the control of the Palestinian Authority. Furthermore, full management of the Ibrahimi Mosque (Tomb of the Patriarchs) and the settlements of Tel Rumeida and Qubbet Rahil is transferred from the Hebron municipality to the authorities of the occupying regime. Bezalel Smotrich, the Zionist regime’s Finance Minister, has declared the destruction of the idea of establishing a Palestinian state as the explicit goal of this legislation.

The Most Dangerous Action Since the 1967 Occupation

Examining the dimensions and details of the new law annexing the West Bank clearly reveals that, if implemented, it would constitute the most dangerous action since the 1967 occupation. This is because it provides the Zionist regime with necessary and new executive tools; just as it creates fundamental changes in the legal and political status of the occupied territories, and through new powers to demolish Palestinian structures in Area A and, more importantly, the reactivation of the Land Purchase Committee for the maximal seizure of lands, it effectively paves the way for the gradual and widespread annexation of these areas to the occupying regime.

With this decision, which has been met with stiff opposition and reaction from the inhabitants of the occupied territories and the Palestinian resistance, the legal structure governing this land is effectively destroyed, and a new phase of apartheid and systematic settlement construction begins. This issue has destructive consequences domestically and regionally.

Destructive Consequences of the New Zionist Action

The first consequence of this law is the destruction of the Oslo Accord, which had divided the West Bank into three areas: A, B, and C. By canceling previous laws and facilitating land confiscation, Areas A and B slip from Palestinian control, and practically, the prospect of establishing an independent Palestinian state, which some Arab governments and Western countries hoped for, is eliminated.

The second consequence is the change in ground realities through an unprecedented expansion of settlements, which the Palestinian resistance and the inhabitants of the occupied territories cannot remain silent about or idle in the face of. It must be noted that the approval of plans for constructing new residential units in the West Bank has doubled compared to previous years, and projects like connecting East Jerusalem to the Ma’ale Adumim settlement have bisected the West Bank. Simultaneously, settler violence against Palestinians, with the government’s green light, has reached its highest level, and unauthorized outposts, under the guise of “security farms,” are being legalized.

The third consequence is the imminent collapse of the Palestinian Authority. With the halt in the transfer of tax revenues and the imposition of economic restrictions, the Palestinian Authority has lost the ability to pay its employees’ salaries, and public services are grinding to a halt. The destruction of security cooperation with the Zionist regime, which until now had prevented unrest, is pushing the West Bank to the brink of a full-blown security crisis, and during Ramadan, the risk of tensions flaring up around holy sites intensifies.

A Time Bomb

Although the approval of the West Bank annexation law might, in the short term, somewhat implement the expansionist policies of the Zionist regime, in reality, this law, like a time bomb, poses a serious threat to the stability of the region and the regime itself. By ignoring the historical rights of the Palestinian people and nullifying international agreements such as Oslo and Hebron, this legislation lays the groundwork for the explosion of public anger.

The reaction of the Palestinian inhabitants of the occupied territories to this law will not be limited to mere protest. The intensification of settler violence and land confiscation will propel the Palestinian resistance into a new phase of struggle. Palestinian groups have deemed this action as the end of the political solution and have called for the escalation of popular and field resistance.

During the holy month of Ramadan, when tensions around the Al-Aqsa Mosque invariably increase, this law could be the spark that ignites widespread unrest in the West Bank and Jerusalem. The outcome of such a situation would be prolonged conflicts, deeper diplomatic isolation for the Zionist regime, and sustained insecurity in the region.

The Silence of the International Community?

The silence of the international community and Arab and Muslim governments regarding the Zionist regime’s decision on annexation paints a grim picture for the future of the region. This inaction conveys the message that the provocative actions of the Zionist regime will carry no serious cost. This approach not only worsens the situation for the Palestinians but may also provoke and intensify the appetite of the Zionist occupiers for encroaching upon other Arab and Islamic lands, including Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan.

The continuation of mere verbal condemnations and statements without executive backing in response to the Zionist regime’s actions will not be effective. It is essential that the international community and regional actors, especially Islamic governments and countries, put policies based on economic, political, and legal pressure on their agenda to force the regime back from its actions and end its occupation.

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