UNRWA Chief Says Israel's West Bank Policy Is New Blow to International Law

JAKARTA - Israel's new steps in the occupied West Bank, Palestine mark "a new blow to international law," said the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said the measures pave the way for "accelerated settlement expansion" and further undermine prospects for Palestinians.

"These steps are the same as the recipe for increased control, desperation, and violence," Lazzarini wrote on the X social media platform, as reported by Anadolu (11/2).

He said the decision set a dangerous precedent with potential global consequences.

His remarks came after Israel's Security Cabinet approved measures on Sunday aimed at changing the legal and civil framework in the occupied West Bank to strengthen Israel's illegal control.

According to Israeli media, the decision includes revoking laws that prohibit the sale of land in the West Bank to private Israeli individuals, opening land ownership records, and transferring the authority for construction permits in the settlement block near Hebron from the Palestinian municipality to the Israeli civil administration.

This step has been criticized by the international community, from Arab and Muslim countries to countries in Europe.