February 17, 2026 | 11:00 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The European Union and the United Nations have criticized Israel’s recent decision to register large portions of the West Bank as Israeli state land, warning that the move undermines the prospects of a two-state solution and violates international law.
On Sunday, Israel approved a proposal to classify Palestinian land in the West Bank as “state property,” marking the first legal action of its kind in the territory under Israeli control.
The measure, submitted by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, and Defense Minister Israel Katz, unfreezes long-dormant land registration procedures, cancels outdated Jordanian laws, and discloses decades-old land records.
EU Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Anouar El Anouni described the decision as a “new escalation” in the region.
Speaking at a European Commission press conference on Monday, February 16, 2026, he said, “We recall that annexation is illegal under international law. And we call on Israel to reverse this decision.”
El Anouni added that the move weakens the viability of a two-state solution by extending Israel’s control over Areas A and B of the West Bank.
Palestinian residents view the registration process as a step toward de facto annexation, which they say threatens the framework of the two-state solution endorsed by the United Nations.
The UN also condemned the land registration. Secretary-General António Guterres and UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric warned that the move could lead to the confiscation of Palestinian property and further expand Israeli control over occupied territory.
“Such actions, including Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are not only destabilizing but – as recalled by the International Court of Justice – unlawfu,” Dujarric said.
Dujarric stressed that the UN urges Israel to reverse the measures immediately.
He also called on all parties “to preserve the only path to lasting peace, a negotiated two-State solution, in line with relevant Security Council resolutions and international law.”
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