High Court strikes down West Bank ‘land regulation’ law

The Supreme Court has struck down the 2017 Regulation Law, which gave Israel the ability to take over private Palestinian land in the West Bank in cases where settlers build there “in good faith.”

In an 8-1 ruling, the judges write that the law “infringes on property rights and equality for Palestinian residents, and places an overt preference for the interests of Israeli settlers over Palestinian residents.”

The judges say Palestinian residents should have the status of “protected residents,” of a disputed area, which should play a role in how Israel treats them under the law.

The controversial law was passed after Israel was forced to demolish a number of outposts and homes build on land found to have been owned by Palestinians. The settlers claimed to have purchased the land, or claimed to have been misled.