The Palestinian Authority’s Land Authority urged Palestinians to withhold information from Israeli authorities on Wednesday, the same day Jerusalem launched an electronic land registration system for Area C of the West Bank.
The process looks to create a comprehensive understanding of land ownership and register ownership of every plot. The registry was reopened in February for the first time since 1967 and was allegedly in response to attempts by the Palestinian Authority to annex sections of Area C, though no recent public moves of such an attempt were recorded.
Claiming the registration system was “an unprecedented and dangerous escalation aimed at imposing legal and administrative realities through the power of the occupation,” the authority alleged that the registration process would pave the way for annexation and land seizures, especially in Area C.
‘Judaizing Palestinian land’
Accusing Jerusalem of attempting a project “Judaizing Palestinian land,” the authority denied that any such registration process was legal under international law and would undermine efforts to establish a Palestinian state.
“All citizens inside and outside the homeland [are urged] not to engage or cooperate with any bodies, committees, platforms, or procedures affiliated with the Israeli occupation concerning land registration or settlement work, property surveys, updating real estate data, submitting land and property documents and records, or disclosing any ownership-related information, except after consulting the competent Palestinian authorities,” the authority asserted.
Palestinians responding to the statement complained that the authority failed to make clear which “competent Palestinian authorities” to turn to, and some said they believed not engaging in the legal process would create an opportunity for Israel to mark their land as unregistered state land.
The authority has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.
