Israel Launches West Bank Digital Land Registry

Israel initiated an online "Land Registry and Settlement of Rights" platform on Wednesday, May 29, 2026, to digitally register property ownership in the occupied West Bank. This action follows a May 2025 decision by the Israeli Security Cabinet to accelerate land settlement processes and a July 2025 parliamentary measure supporting West Bank annexation.

The Palestinian Land Authority, Jerusalem Governorate, and the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission (CRRC) have condemned the initiative, labeling it a "dangerous colonial occupation step" that undermines Palestinian land rights. They have urged Palestinians to avoid engaging with the Israeli platform and called upon international bodies, including the United Nations and the International Criminal Court, to intervene.

The digital registry aims to update property ownership records, particularly in Area C, where Israel maintains full control. This process, which began on February 15, 2026, for approximately 58 percent of Area C, marks the first time Palestinian land registration has occurred under Israeli authority since 1967. Israel intends to complete the settlement of 15 percent of the West Bank by the end of 2030, impacting an area where approximately 700,000 Israeli settlers currently reside.