Palestinian Leadership Issues Firm Call Against Expanding Control in West Bank

GAZA — The Palestinian leadership has urged its civilian and security bodies not to cooperate with measures aimed at expanding Israeli control in the West Bank. In a press statement issued Tuesday, Palestinian Deputy President Hussein al-Sheikh called on the public to reject Israeli “annexation-related laws” and remain steadfast on their land.

“We clearly call upon the Palestinian people to remain firm and unwavering on their land, and to have no association whatsoever with all annexation-related laws, including the latest step approved by the Israeli government a few days ago,” al-Sheikh said. According to him, these measures contravene international law and prior agreements signed with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

According to Israel’s state-run Kan News, the Israeli security cabinet on Sunday approved measures to strengthen Israeli control in the West Bank and alter its legal status. Among the controversial decisions were repealing a law that prohibited the sale of land to Jews dating from the Jordanian period, eliminating the need for special transaction permits, and reactivating the State Land Acquisition Committee, inactive for nearly two decades.

According to Israeli officials, these measures will facilitate land purchases by the Jewish community in the occupied territories under more favorable terms. The Palestinian side, however, has condemned the move, interpreting it as an effort to expand settlements and extend civilian administrative authority in the West Bank.

Al-Sheikh also called on the international community to “stand firmly against Israel’s far-right government.” He stated that such steps further undermine the viability of a two-state solution.

Meanwhile, two Palestinians were killed Tuesday in an Israeli drone strike in central Gaza, according to reports. A woman previously wounded in a shooting incident in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis also succumbed to her injuries. The Israeli military has not yet issued an immediate response regarding these incidents.

Israel captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem during the 1967 Middle East war. The settlements established there and the continued military presence are considered illegal under international law.

Palestinian officials have repeatedly warned that settlement expansion and efforts to extend Israeli civil authority in the West Bank undermine the prospects of a future independent Palestinian state. Analysts suggest the latest decisions signal a further escalation in regional tensions.

Diplomatic avenues appear increasingly narrow amid deepening mutual distrust, according to assessments. In this context, the role of the international community, regional mediation, and the reactivation of negotiations are seen as decisive for long-term stability.