Amnesty International warns of accelerated West Bank annexation

Amnesty International has stated that recent Israeli decisions to seize occupied Palestinian land reflect an expanding agenda to annex the West Bank. The organization noted that the seizure of land and the establishment of illegal settlements are accelerating the process of formal annexation.

According to the organization, the Israeli military seized 15 plots of land totaling 20 hectares in July alone. The report highlights that Israel is planning to build two of the 34 illegal settlements authorized this year within these specific areas. Additionally, the organization warned that planned roads for settlements in Jenin could isolate the governorate from other Palestinian communities, impacting territorial integrity and economic integration.

Hiba Marei, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, stated that Israel is occupying lands in Area A—territory under Palestinian control since the Oslo Accords—for the first time in decades. She urged nations with close political or trade ties to Israel to pressure the government to revoke these decisions, warning that supporting such expansions risks complicity in international crimes.