Move sparks global criticism, threatens peace efforts.
Israel’s parliament has approved the first stage of a controversial bill aimed at formally annexing the occupied West Bank — a territory long claimed by the Palestinians as part of their future state.
According to reports, lawmakers from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling coalition backed the proposal, which would grant Israel full administrative and legal control over the territory it has occupied since 1967. The move has drawn strong condemnation from the United Nations, the European Union, and several Arab nations, who warn that it could destroy any remaining hopes for a two-state solution.
Human rights groups say that if the bill passes into law, it would further tighten Israeli control over Palestinian communities, expand settlements, and deepen tensions in an already volatile region.