Israel Overhauls West Bank Legal Framework to Accelerate Settlement Activity
Israel's security-political cabinet approved sweeping changes to Judea and Samaria's legal and civil framework, including making land registries public to increase transparency, repealing Jordanian-era bans on Jewish land purchases, removing the foreign or special permit hurdles, and easing land-transaction approvals. It also transfers planning authority for Jewish areas near Hebron to the Civil Administration, grants Hebron’s Directorate full municipal powers, creates a dedicated Rachel’s Tomb directorate, expands state oversight in Areas A and B, and restarts a long-dormant land-purchase committee to secure land for settlements.