Arab Nations and EU Condemn Israel

A number of Arab countries and the European Union have condemned the Israeli government's decision to begin registering lands in part of the West Bank in Israel's public land registry.

"This step serves as a basis for further expansion of [Israeli] settlements in Palestinian territory. The decades-long regulations that prohibited non-Muslims from buying land in the West Bank are being lifted," explains a BBC correspondent in Jerusalem.

The Israeli government stated that this decision aims to regulate the land situation in the West Bank. The decision pertains to the so-called 'Area C,' which, according to AFP news agency, encompasses approximately 60% of the West Bank and is controlled by Israel.

"This will put an end to legal disputes and allow for the development of infrastructure and regulated land sales," declared the government.

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs separately addressed the reactions from Arab countries and the EU. The ministry stated that the government's decision is a technical, administrative measure. "It will simplify the property registration procedures and ensure transparent and thorough clarification of rights when resolving legal disputes," the statement read. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that this move was a response to the illegal registration of land rights in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority.