Palestinian Authority Halts Land Registration for East Jerusalem Residents and Israeli Arabs

The Palestinian Authority has officially halted the registration of land rights for Israeli Arabs and East Jerusalem residents, following a recent real estate transaction in Jericho. This directive from the Palestinian Land Resources Authority imposes a strict moratorium on any land registration actions involving these groups. The decision was reportedly triggered by the sale of eight residential properties in Jericho to buyers of Jewish origin, with Palestinian authorities suspecting Israeli Arabs of acting as intermediaries in the deal.

The freeze applies to all types of land where applicants hold Israeli identity cards or East Jerusalem residency permits. The land registry has been ordered to suspend property rights checks, sales contract processing, and the updating of cadastral records in territories under Palestinian control. Palestinian officials have launched a broad investigation into the chain of ownership transfer for the Jericho properties.

Selling land or property to Israelis is traditionally considered a criminal offense under Palestinian law, carrying severe penalties. The Palestinian leadership has long sought to prevent land assets from falling under the control of Jewish buyers, particularly in historically and strategically significant areas of Judea and Samaria.

The Jericho incident has caused significant concern within Palestinian security agencies, prompting a search for all individuals involved in the transaction. The imposed restrictions have paralyzed dozens of other ongoing civilian agreements unrelated to the specific Jericho sale. Real estate professionals and lawyers have noted that hundreds of legitimate buyers and sellers from East Jerusalem and Israel's Arab sector are now unable to finalize procedures for inherited or purchased land.