Jerusalem, 8 February, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s political-security cabinet approved a wide-ranging set of measures on Sunday that senior ministers said were intended to strengthen Israel’s administrative and legal control over Judea and Samaria. The decisions focus on land policy, planning authority, and enforcement powers, and were presented by the government as steps toward what it described as the “normalization” of civilian life for Jewish residents in the area.
According to a joint statement by Defense Minister Yisrael Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, the cabinet ordered the removal of long-standing confidentiality restrictions on land registration records in Judea and Samaria. Once published, the records are expected to make land transactions more transparent and easier to conduct. Until now, unlike inside Israel’s pre-1967 boundaries, land registries in Judea and Samaria were kept confidential, a situation the ministers said created legal uncertainty, hindered purchases, and enabled fraud.
One of the most significant decisions was the repeal of a Jordanian-era law that barred the sale of land to Jews. Jordan controlled the territory from 1948 until 1967, and parts of its legal framework remained in force. Under that system, Jews could purchase land only indirectly, through registered companies, and only after receiving a special transaction permit from Israel’s Civil Administration, the military-run body that oversees civilian affairs in the area. The cabinet canceled the permit requirement and removed restrictions on sales to foreigners, effectively allowing Jews to buy property under conditions similar to those in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. In addition, the requirement for a separate transaction license from the Land Registration Office was eliminated, to be replaced by standard professional criteria.
The cabinet also approved the renewal of the Land Acquisition Committee, a state body that ceased operating roughly two decades ago. Its reinstatement will allow the government to pursue proactive land purchases in Judea and Samaria. Katz and Smotrich said the goal is to secure land reserves for future development of Jewish communities.
Another decision transferred building licensing authority in the Jewish settlement area of Hebron, including sites around the Tomb of the Patriarchs, from the local municipality to the Civil Administration’s planning institutions. Government officials said this would streamline approval processes and remove the need for case-by-case authorizations for construction or accessibility projects at Jewish holy sites in the city.
The cabinet further decided to expand Israeli supervision and enforcement activities into Areas A and B of Judea and Samaria — administrative divisions established by the Oslo Accords. The expanded enforcement will focus on water-related violations, environmental hazards, and damage to archaeological sites that Israeli officials say affect the wider region. In locations designated as Area A, primarily Palestinian population centers, the Palestinian Authority has both administrative and security jurisdiction. In Area B, such as smaller towns, the PA has administrative jurisdiction while Israel maintains responsibility for security. In Area C, where Jewish communities, military installations, and nature reserves are located, Israel has both administrative and security jurisdiction. Area C makes up 60 percent of the territory of Judea and Samaria.
In a related move, the cabinet approved the creation of a dedicated municipal administration for the Rachel’s Tomb complex, a Jewish holy site located within the municipal boundaries of Bethlehem. The new body will be responsible for sanitation, maintenance, landscaping, and daily operations at the site.
“The decisions we approved today are an expression of a clear policy—strengthening the Israeli hold on Judea and Samaria, strengthening settlement and securing our future in this land for generations,” Katz said. “We are committed to removing barriers, creating legal and civil certainty, and enabling residents to live, build, and develop as equals to all citizens of Israel.”
Smotrich was more blunt. “The days are over when a settler in Judea and Samaria was a second-class citizen living under racist Jordanian laws,” he vowed. “We are normalizing life in Judea and Samaria, removing bureaucratic barriers, fighting on the ground, and deepening our grip throughout the Land of Israel.”
Leaders of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria express hope that U.S. President Donald Trump will revisit the issue of applying Israeli law to Area C of Judea and Samaria.
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