Ministers from Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party are urging Israel to formally annex the West Bank, currently under Israeli occupation, before the Knesset adjourns at the end of July. Justice Minister Yariv Levin claimed that the West Bank annexation is a security matter, calling the occupied Palestinian territory “not just the heart of the [“Israeli”] land but also the safety belt for the State of Israel.”

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Meanwhile, Israeli media reported Tuesday that a rabbinical court in the illegal West Bank settlement of Ariel has been granted formal recognition as an independent judicial authority. This marks the first time a civilian court has been officially established beyond Israel’s internationally recognized borders—a move widely viewed as a major step toward de facto annexation.

Legal experts warn the decision violates the Fourth Geneva Convention, which forbids occupying powers from extending civilian infrastructure, including judicial systems, into occupied land. By embedding a religious court within a West Bank settlement, Zionist authorities further normalize their presence in Palestinian territory, erasing the already fragile distinction between the occupation and formal annexation. Critics argue this sets a dangerous precedent, deepening the entrenchment of apartheid structures in the occupied West Bank.

The West Bank has been under Israeli military control since 1967, but following the October 7 attack by Hamas and the ensuing Zionist genocide in Gaza, Israeli authorities have accelerated efforts to reshape the region’s borders.

By the end of 2024, an estimated 770,000 Israeli settlers were living in the West Bank across 180 recognized settlements and 256 outposts, including 138 agricultural or pastoral sites, according to Palestinian sources. These settlements are widely considered illegal under international law.

In the northern West Bank, more than 40,000 Palestinians remain displaced as a result of the ongoing Israeli military operation known as ‘Iron Wall.’ Five months into the offensive, many are still cut off from their homes and face significant barriers to accessing healthcare and other basic services.

Findings revealed a disturbing pattern of violence and obstruction targeting displaced residents attempting to return to their homes in the camps, with over 100 incidents of indiscriminate violence reported. This includes shootings, assault, and detentions and is affecting people of all ages and genders. Some families found their homes burned, looted, or occupied; others were explicitly threatened and told never to come back. Returns are heavily restricted, with only limited time granted or access denied altogether.

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