World Nations Slam Israeli “State Land” Reclassification in West Bank
Jerusalem — February 24, 2026
Nearly 20 Nations Slam Israeli “State Land” Reclassification in West Bank as Direct Attack on Diplomacy as a broad international coalition rises to challenge the accelerating administrative annexation of Palestinian territories.
In an unprecedented display of diplomatic unity, a coalition of 20 countries—including heavyweights such as France, Brazil, Spain, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia—alongside the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), issued a blistering joint statement today.
The group condemned recent Israeli cabinet decisions to reclassify vast swaths of the West Bank as “state land,” a move they described as a flagrant violation of international law and a “direct attack” on the viability of a future Palestinian state.
This collective pushback comes as the Israeli government initiates a massive four-year, $78 million project to update land registries in Area C, effectively ending decades of administrative ambiguity in favor of permanent Israeli control.
The international community warns that these “administrative” changes are hardening into a legal reality that threatens to erase the possibility of a two-state solution forever.
The Mechanics of “De Facto” Annexation.
The core of the international grievance lies in a series of security cabinet measures approved earlier this month, which fundamentally restructure how land is managed in the occupied territories.
For the first time since 1967, the Israeli government has authorized the opening and declassification of West Bank land registries.
By removing Jordanian-era restrictions that previously guarded against foreign land acquisition, the new policy allows Israeli nationals to purchase Palestinian land directly with minimal security oversight.
Critics and international legal experts argue that this is not “neutral governance” but a targeted policy designed to facilitate large-scale settlement expansion.
By reclassifying hundreds of thousands of dunams as state property, the government is effectively making these lands available for the development of new housing clusters, industrial zones, and infrastructure.
This shift in authority from military to civilian agencies—a move championed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich—is viewed by the signatory nations as “de facto annexation” by the back door, bypassing the need for a formal declaration of sovereignty.
Global Condemnation and Legal Recourse
The joint statement, released in multiple world capitals including Cairo and Paris, emphasizes that these actions are in direct defiance of the 2024 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The ICJ previously ruled that Israel’s settlement policy and its continued presence in the occupied territories are unlawful.
The coalition of 20 nations has now reaffirmed its commitment to taking “concrete steps” to counter this expansion, signaling a possible shift from verbal condemnation toward economic and diplomatic consequences.
The European signatories, led by France and Spain, have been particularly vocal about the “E1 project”—a controversial settlement plan that would effectively bisect the West Bank, making a contiguous Palestinian state geographically impossible.
The publication of tenders for E1, coinciding with the land registration drive, has been described as an “alarming escalation” that undermines regional stability during a period of already heightened tensions.
Regional Stability and the 2030 Vision
For the Arab League and the OIC, the timing of these measures is especially inflammatory. As the region moves toward the Holy Month of Ramadan, the group warned that violations of the status quo in Jerusalem and the West Bank could trigger a wider regional conflict.
The ministers also called for the immediate release of withheld tax revenues due to the Palestinian Authority, arguing that the financial strangulation of Palestinian institutions is a deliberate part of the strategy to consolidate control.
From the perspective of world leadership governance, the situation represents a profound failure of the international rules-based order.
The “New Global Constitution” for 2030/2032 envisions a world where sovereignty is respected and international law is the ultimate arbiter; however, the unilateral shifts on the ground in the West Bank present a direct challenge to this ideal.
The international coalition is now calling on the United Nations Security Council to assume its responsibilities and halt what they term “the entrenchment of a colonial reality.”
The Path Forward for Diplomacy
As the 20-nation bloc prepares to bring this issue to the forefront of the UN General Assembly, the focus remains on reversing the administrative changes before they become irreversible.
The “Board of Peace,” chaired by international mediators, is scheduled to meet in Washington this week to discuss a political horizon for the conflict.
However, without Palestinian representation and in the wake of these land-grab policies, many fear that the diplomatic window is closing.
The world now waits to see if the “strongest terms” of condemnation will be followed by actual policy shifts from the Western powers.
Until then, the administrative machinery in the West Bank continues to move forward, redrawing the map of the Middle East one registry at a time.
Headline Points of the Political Report:
Unprecedented Coalition:
20 countries, the Arab League, and the OIC join forces to condemn Israeli land policies.
Administrative Annexation:
Reclassification of “state land” and the opening of registries seen as a move toward permanent control.
Violation of International Law:
The coalition cites the 2024 ICJ Advisory Opinion and UN resolutions as the legal basis for their rejection.
E1 Project Escalation:
The approval of settlement tenders in the critical E1 corridor triggers fears of a fragmented Palestinian territory.
Regional Risk:
Ministers warn that these measures threaten the stability of the entire Middle East ahead of sensitive religious periods.
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