The Israeli government on Sunday approved a proposal to resume the process of land registration in Judea and Samaria for the first time since the 1967 Six-Day War. The agenda item was introduced to the Cabinet by Justice Minister Yariv Levin, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defense Minister Israel Katz. The Regavim movement, an NGO dedicated to the protection of Israel’s national lands, applauded the move.
“Restarting the survey and registration process means Israel will now formally map and record ownership under its current administrative system, without any change to the political status of the territory in question,” said Naomi Kahn, director of Regavim’s International Division. The move does not constitute “creeping annexation” or a “backdoor declaration of sovereignty,” she said. Rather, it is a technical, administrative step to clarify and register property ownership, with no direct political impact. This is because the Cabinet instructed the Israel Defense Forces, which administers Judea and Samaria, to request that the Justice Ministry register the land claims.
This is essentially the same mechanism Israel has been using since 1967 in applying civil law to Israelis living throughout Judea and Samaria. In practical terms, Kahn said the ruling will result in clear determination of ownership—for both Arabs and Jews—that will create legally binding property boundaries for individuals and for publicly owned land. (Read More)
