In a move condemned by Palestinians and the United Nations, Israel's Peace Now group has reported that Israel's largest seizure of land in over three decades has taken place in the occupied West Bank. Approximately 12.7 square kilometers (4.9 square miles) of the Jordan Valley were declared "state property" in June, effectively denying Palestinians private ownership and usage rights.

According to Peace Now, the declaration not only denied Palestinians their rights but also created "territorial continuity" between Israeli settlements in a crucial corridor connecting to Jordan. This prompted criticism from a Palestinian official who claimed that the seizure was designed to dispossess Palestinians, while the UN labeled it "a step in the wrong direction" for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The recent declaration was welcomed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, known for his far-right settler ideology and authority over settlement policies in the coalition government. Smotrich considers the West Bank as part of a "Greater Israel." His support for the seizure aligns with Israel's history of constructing around 160 settlements accommodating 700,000 Jewish residents in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since the 1967 Middle East war.

Although Israel disputes the settlements' illegality under international law, the vast majority of the international community considers them as such. The seizure, approved by Israel's Civil Administration last month but only made public recently, covers an area north of the Yafit settlement that had previously been designated as a nature reserve or military "fire area."

Peace Now highlighted that this seizure is the largest since the 1993 Oslo Accords, referring to the interim peace deal that defined governance structures for parts of the West Bank and Gaza. The group also revealed that a total of 23.7 square kilometers has been seized this year alone, including 8 square kilometers adjoining the latest area, connected to the settlement of Masua.

Peace Now criticized Smotrich and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing them of prioritizing the interests of a few settlers over resolving Israel's political crisis and the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The group emphasized the importance of a political settlement establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel for a resolution.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric expressed concern, stating that the seizure is a "step in the wrong direction." Dujarric reinforced the UN's commitment to a negotiated two-state solution. Meanwhile, Muayyad Shaaban, head of the Palestinian Authority's Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, claimed that the seizure is part of a broader plan to control the eastern part of the West Bank.

Israeli media also reported that Smotrich welcomed the declaration along with news of plans to advance 5,300 new settler homes in the West Bank and the retroactive authorization of five settlement outposts built without government approval. These moves, seen as steps towards de facto annexation, were previously warned against by Peace Now.

The recent seizure and corresponding developments have ignited further controversy as peace negotiations remain elusive in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While Israel asserts its right to the land, these actions are widely criticized and pose challenges to finding a diplomatic solution.