Israel pursuing ‘undeclared annexation’ of West Bank, Peace Now says

Peace Now, an Israeli advocacy group, claims that the Netanyahu government is pursuing the undetermined annexation of the West Bank through a series of measures that undermine the Oslo Accords. The organization points to expanded powers of the Israeli Civil Administration, increased settlement growth, and pressure on the Palestinian Authority as evidence of this undeclared annexation.

These actions include the Civil Administration's authority to enforce regulations in Areas A and B of the West Bank, which accounts for about 60% of the territory, and the Civil Administration's recent move to strip the Palestinian municipality of Hebron of planning and construction powers. The group also highlights Israeli military orders that have been used inside Area A for the first time since the Oslo Accords to requisition land for a road connecting settlements.

Peace Now states that these actions are not isolated incidents but part of an organized policy intended to weaken the Palestinian Authority and expand settlements throughout the West Bank. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has defended these actions, claiming they are a response to perceived injustices and necessary for Israel's security.