Settlement of Land Title in the oPt: An International Law-Based Appraisal

In 2018, the Israeli government resumed settlement of land title (SOLT) proceedings in East Jerusalem, which had been halted since 1968, shortly after Israel took control of the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).

Only a small fraction of land has been registered in the name of private Palestinian owners as opposed to the Israeli State or settler organisations, and the process has resulted in evictions and demolitions of Palestinian property. In addition, since May 2025, the Israeli government has taken a number of decisions with a view to resuming land registration in Area C of the West Bank, where most Israeli settlements are located.

Against the backdrop of escalating violence by Israeli soldiers and settlers, these developments raise grave concerns about deepening annexation, a further entrenchment of Israel’s settlement project, and accelerating dispossession and displacement of Palestinian communities.

This publication assesses the legality of this land registration process in the oPt pursuant to the rules of international humanitarian law (IHL), international human rights law (IHRL), and other applicable legal frameworks. It concludes that the resumption of SOLT proceedings contravenes the rules of IHL comprising the law of occupation; the complementary protections afforded by IHRL; and the findings of the International Court of Justice in its Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024. It stands to facilitate the annexation of additional tracts of Palestinian territory, and to further undermine the long overdue realisation of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.

Cover photo: Communities forcibly displaced by Israeli violence, al-Khalail, West Bank, 21.02.2026. Oren Ziv/ActiveStills Photo Collective. All rights reserved.