Türkiye slams Israel's West Bank land grab as illegal, urges global action

2026-02-15 - 18:15

Türkiye issued a strong condemnation Sunday after the Israeli government approved a proposal to register extensive areas of the occupied West Bank as "state property"—the first such measure since the territory was occupied in 1967. The Turkish Foreign Ministry described the move as a clear violation of international law aimed at imposing Israeli authority and accelerating illegal settlement expansion. Ankara: "Null and Void" "This step, which seeks to forcibly displace the Palestinian people from their land and accelerate Israel's unlawful annexation efforts, constitutes a clear violation of international law and is null and void," the ministry statement read. "Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territories." Ankara warned that the expansionist policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government undermine peace efforts and damage prospects for a two-state solution. Scope and Mechanism Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported that far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, and Defense Minister Israel Katz submitted the proposal. Daily Israel Hayom reported ahead of the decision that "the initial goal is the gradual settlement of 15% of Area C by 2030." Area C, accounting for approximately 61% of the West Bank, remains under full Israeli control under the 1995 Oslo II Accord, which limits Palestinian land registration to Areas A and B. Part of Broader Annexation Push The land registration decision follows a series of Security Council-approved measures last week, including repealing a ban on West Bank land sales to illegal settlers, unsealing ownership records, and transferring building permit authority in a Hebron-area settlement bloc from Palestinian to Israeli administrative control. Since October 2023, Israel has intensified West Bank operations—including killings, arrests, displacement, and settlement expansion—which Palestinians view as formal annexation preparation. The International Court of Justice declared Israel's occupation illegal in July 2024, calling for evacuation of all settlements.