West Bank Land Registration Flaws Fuel Property Leakage Concerns
Translated & summarized from Al-Shams by baba
Eight homes in Jericho have reportedly been leaked due to flaws in the West Bank's land registration system, raising concerns about illegal property deals and transfers to settlers. Lawyer Hassan Mleihat cited reliance on power of attorney for unregistered lands as a key issue, enabling multiple sales and fraud. He called for stricter regulations and oversight to prevent further property leakage, which has reportedly increased since October 7, 2023.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Eight homes in Jericho were reportedly leaked due to West Bank land registration system flaws.
- Lawyer Hassan Mleihat cited reliance on power of attorney for unregistered lands as a major issue.
- These loopholes facilitate illegal deals and the transfer of Palestinian properties to settlers.
- Property leakage has reportedly increased significantly since October 7, 2023.
- Mleihat called for stricter regulations, official verification, and proactive legal action.
Concerns are mounting over the integrity of land registration and property transactions in the West Bank, particularly following the reported leakage of eight homes in Jericho. Human rights advocates warn that legal and procedural loopholes may facilitate illegal deals, potentially leading to Palestinian properties falling into the hands of settlers.
Lawyer Hassan Mleihat, who heads the Al-Bader Human Rights Organization, highlighted that a significant issue stems from the vast number of unregistered lands. Transactions for these properties often rely on periodic power of attorney, complicating ownership verification and the legitimacy of real estate deals. He explained that while registered lands undergo formal sales procedures, unregistered lands, including those with incomplete financial records or land survey records dating back to Jordanian rule, are traded via power of attorney.
Mleihat noted that this system can allow the same property to be sold multiple times through power of attorney without a unified official system for verification, increasing the risk of illegal sales, fraud, and property leakage. He called for new regulations governing sales, including for unregistered lands, requiring official verification of the seller's identity, the power of attorney's validity, and historical ownership documents before any transaction is finalized. He stressed the need for exceptional, conditional audits before sales and proactive legal prosecution to prevent properties from reaching entities working for settlers.
The lawyer stated that property leakage has escalated significantly since October 7, 2023, with Palestinian lands increasingly targeted by groups and companies linked to settlers. He attributed this rise to recent legislation that, in his view, allows settlers to acquire land across the West Bank regardless of its classification, indicating a trend towards greater land control and altering the demographic reality for Palestinians.
Regarding the Jericho incident, Mleihat pointed out that some lands in the Deir al-Duk area west of Jericho are unregistered and traded via power of attorney, making verification difficult and increasing leakage risks. He concluded that resolving the crisis requires completing land settlement processes across Palestinian areas, reviewing the performance of official bodies, and improving oversight and registration mechanisms to close legal and administrative gaps.