Israel just changed how land ownership works in the West Bank. Here’s what that means. by Qassam Muaddi

Earlier this month, the Israeli government approved a decision to resume the land registry process for lands in Area C of the West Bank after decades of freezing. The decision entails grave consequences for Palestinian ownership of land in what constitutes 60% of the West Bank, as it puts an end to the treatment of Palestinian lands in Area C as occupied territory — instead treating them as a part of Israel.

… “Before the decision, the Israeli government would declare a land as being ‘for public use,’ and the Palestinian owner would oppose that declaration in Israeli courts,” Hammad explained. “But now, lands that have no recent private ownership titles or that fall in the category of ‘public land’ will be registered as Israeli state lands, and that will make them easier to use for settlement expansion and legalizing settler outposts.” 

… “Most of the lands of our town are in Area C,” the Taybeh landowner emphasized. “They have names. They are in our songs, our traditions, memories. Our families lived off these lands for generations, and all of this is being denied. We have been holding onto our lands for decades, hoping to protect our rights to them, but today we feel that all our hopes have been in vain,” he added. “We feel that we’re going to lose our lands with the whole world watching.”