Israel Approves Measures to Expand Control Over West Bank

JERUSALEM: Israel’s security cabinet on Sunday approved a series of measures aimed at deepening Israeli control over the occupied West Bank, paving the way for further settlement expansion. The decisions include removing long-standing restrictions on Jewish citizens purchasing land in the territory and transferring authority over certain settlement construction approvals from Palestinian bodies to Israeli authorities. The measures were announced by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defense Minister Israel Katz. Palestinian officials condemned the move as an attempt to entrench annexation, while settler groups welcomed the decision. The announcement comes ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the United States, amid renewed international scrutiny of settlement activity, which reached record levels in 2025.