Israel Approves Large West Bank Area as ‘State Land,’ Fueling Annexation Fears
February 17, 2026
Israel’s cabinet has given the green light to declare large parts of the West Bank as 'state land.' This move allows Israel to annex these lands, violating international law. Israel’s finance minister called it a “settlement revolution,” while the Palestinian presidency called it a “serious escalation.” Hamas called it an attempt to “steal and Judaise lands.” Many say it destroys hopes for a two-state solution.
In Gaza, Israel has carried out brutal violence aimed at removing Palestinians. Meanwhile, violent illegal Jewish settlers get support from Israel to take more Palestinian land. Palestinians must prove land ownership with documents from a century ago, which few possess due to exile.
Israel’s land grabs aren't limited to Palestinian areas. It continues to occupy Syria’s Golan Heights since 1967 and controls Lebanese outposts. Critics say Israel aims to create a 'Greater Israel' stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates.
The US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace will meet Thursday. The board must act to stop killings in Gaza—over 600 Palestinians killed since October—and halt illegal West Bank land grabs. Israel’s foreign minister will attend. Pakistan and Muslim nations at the meeting must firmly condemn Israel’s actions and push for an end to bloodshed and annexation.
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Tags:
Israel
Palestine
West bank
Gaza
Land Annexation
Two-state solution
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