International condemnation mounts as Israel's security cabinet approved measures on February 8 to deepen control over the occupied West Bank, triggering widespread concerns about accelerated settlement expansion and Palestinian displacement. The decisions come amid escalating violence, including seven attacks on a critical water facility serving 100,000 Palestinians this year alone.
Israeli military operations in Gaza and Lebanon on February 9 resulted in at least eight fatalities, while settlers' repeated infrastructure sabotage has left communities without reliable water access. Palestinian officials condemned the cabinet's decisions as "illegal annexation," warning they breach previous agreements and threaten regional stability.
"This land is our legacy," said Rami Nubani, a 55-year-old farmer in Nablus, whose family has cultivated olive and almond groves for generations. "Restrictions could force owners to abandon land indirectly, but we will not sell." His farmland near Salem village now borders rapidly expanding settlements.
The Palestinian presidency declared the measures "null and void," while foreign ministers from eight Arab and Muslim nations joined UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in condemning the moves. Guterres warned through spokesperson Stephane Dujarric that Israel's actions "erode prospects for a two-state solution" and violate international law.
Analysts note the developments mark a significant shift toward formalizing Israeli administrative control, with EU officials calling it "another step in the wrong direction." The UN chief has urged immediate reversal of the measures to preserve peace negotiations.
