Israeli Minister Declares West Bank Actions as 'Effective Sovereignty,' Dismisses Future Palestinian State

“We are establishing a fact on the ground,” declared Energy Minister Eli Cohen on Israel’s Army Radio, asserting that the government's recent actions in the West Bank equate to “de facto sovereignty.” This statement echoes concerns raised by critics regarding the implications of these measures.

According to Cohen, these steps effectively eliminate any possibility of a Palestinian state. His remarks come in the wake of announcements made on Sunday, which have drawn sharp condemnation from Palestinians, Arab nations, and human rights organizations, who label the actions as tantamount to annexation of territory that is home to approximately 3.4 million Palestinians.

Other officials within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defense Minister Israel Katz, have echoed Cohen's sentiments, reinforcing the narrative that these measures solidify Israeli control.

These developments place Israel at odds with both its regional allies and previous commitments made by U.S. President Donald Trump. As Netanyahu prepares for a meeting with Trump in Washington later this week, the backdrop of these statements raises questions about diplomatic relations.

Last year, Trump explicitly stated he would not permit Israel to annex the West Bank, a position that aligns with the U.S.-brokered ceasefire aimed at halting hostilities in Gaza while acknowledging Palestinian aspirations for statehood.

The Palestinian Authority faces increasing challenges as these measures further undermine its limited authority. Hussein Al Sheikh, deputy president of the Palestinian Authority, urged all civil and security institutions within Palestine to reject these actions, emphasizing their contradiction to international law and existing agreements with the Palestine Liberation Organization.

A coalition of eight Arab and Muslim-majority nations has voiced their “absolute rejection” of the Israeli measures, labeling them illegal and warning they could exacerbate violence and conflict in the region.

Israel’s commitment against annexation is embedded in its diplomatic agreements with several of these countries. Renewed warnings from the United Arab Emirates regarding this issue led to the postponement of high-level discussions last year.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed “grave concern” over the measures, stating they move us further away from a viable two-state solution and diminish the Palestinian Authority's ability to govern effectively.

The measures approved by Netanyahu's Security Cabinet on Sunday expand Israeli enforcement over land use and planning in areas governed by the Palestinian Authority. This shift facilitates Jewish settlers' ability to compel Palestinians to relinquish land.

Smotrich and Katz announced plans to lift longstanding restrictions on land sales to Israeli Jews in the West Bank, transfer some control over sensitive religious sites like Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque, and declassify land registry records to simplify property acquisitions.

Additionally, a government committee has been reinstated to facilitate what officials describe as “proactive” land purchases in the territory, aimed at reserving land for future settlement expansion.

Collectively, these actions formalize Israel’s ongoing territorial expansion and challenge decades-old agreements that delineate areas under Israeli control from those where the Palestinian Authority holds limited authority.

Over 700,000 Israelis currently reside in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem—territories captured by Israel in 1967 and sought by Palestinians for an independent state alongside Gaza.

Palestinians are prohibited from privately selling land to Israelis; however, settlers can purchase homes on land controlled by the Israeli government. The international community largely views Israeli settlement construction as illegal and a significant barrier to peace.

“These decisions represent a direct violation of international agreements to which Israel is committed and are steps toward annexing Areas A and B,” stated Peace Now, an anti-settlement watchdog group, referring to regions of the West Bank where the Palestinian Authority exercises some degree of autonomy.

__ Natalie Melzer contributed reporting from Nahariya, Israel.