• Israeli measures seen as an assertion of "de facto sovereignty" over the West Bank.
• Actions spark severe backlash from Palestinians and eight Arab nations, warning of escalating conflict.
• The international community, including the UN, condemns the moves as illegal and damaging to peace efforts.

The Israeli government recently approved significant measures to assert control over the West Bank, described by Energy Minister Eli Cohen as establishing "de facto sovereignty," thereby suggesting that the prospect of a Palestinian state is effectively over. This assertion marks a sharp escalation in Israel's policies in the area and has drawn widespread condemnation from various stakeholders, including Palestinians, Arab nations, and international human rights organizations, according to SCMP and LA Times.

The measures include expanded Israeli authority over land use and residential construction in the West Bank, which is home to approximately 3.4 million Palestinians. Critics argue that the actions amount to an outright annexation of territory, contradicting earlier commitments made by Israel to Arab nations, including agreements under U.S. mediation that acknowledged Palestinian statehood aspirations, according to ABC News, LA Times, and SCMP.

In reaction to the Israeli cabinet’s decision, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' administration instructed all institutions to disregard these measures, labeling them as illegal and a dangerous escalation. This sentiment was echoed by a coalition of eight Muslim-majority nations, which stated that the Israeli actions would only exacerbate regional tensions and violence, according to ABC News.

The United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, expressed serious concern over these developments, asserting they further undermine the possibility of a two-state solution and the self-determination of the Palestinian people. His office noted that such actions create significant obstacles to peace, reinforcing sentiments shared widely among international observers, according to LA Times and ABC News.

Analysts suggest that the newly instituted measures may further consolidate Israeli settlements and complicate the status of Palestinian land ownership. One measure allows facilitating land purchases by Israelis, which had been restricted previously, drawing heavy criticism from watchdog groups that view these steps as direct violations of international law, according to LA Times, ABC News, and SCMP.