Jerusalem’s decision to resume the process of registering land in Judea and Samaria intends to put an end to the “current chaos that is bad for everyone—Jews and Arabs alike,” Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who led the move, told JNS on Monday afternoon.
“We have been controlling Judea and Samaria for over 50 years, but the land registration process was halted—the British and the Jordanians registered 30% of the land, and we stopped it,” Smotrich explained, speaking at a meeting of his Religious Zionism Party in Jerusalem.
According to Smotrich, who also serves as a second minister in Israel’s Defense Ministry with responsibility for civilian matters in Judea and Samaria, “when land is not formally registered, it is not recorded anywhere; there are many mistakes, arguments and disputes.”
The current reality, he said, “the current chaos, is bad for everyone—Jews and Arabs alike. It harms rights. All we want to do is create order.”
Sunday’s decision to reopen land registration for the first time since the 1967 Six-Day War “does not dispossess anyone of their rights—on the contrary, it protects those rights,” the finance minister continued.
This plan aims to guarantee lawful governance and historical rights for Israel and its citizens and is also essential for effective governance, security, and sustainable development. The nearly six-decade land freeze that Israel has faced has resulted in a significant legal and administrative void, leading to extended land conflicts, document falsifications, and widespread illegal land appropriation. By endorsing this measure, Israel will be able to assert its sovereign authority over its land and safeguard its national interests.