In a move that further intensifies tensions in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli Knesset has approved, in its first reading, a bill permitting settlers to purchase and own land in the West Bank in their personal capacity. This approval, passed on Wednesday, came swiftly after receiving endorsement from the ministerial committee for legislation.

The bill, introduced by Knesset member Moshe Solomon of the Religious Zionism party, led by Bezalel Smotrich, the Israeli Finance Minister, is now one step closer to becoming law. The bill still requires approval in second and third readings before it can be enacted. If passed, the new law would allow settlers to buy any land, regardless of size, without needing a purchase permit, a requirement currently in place for non-settler individuals.

This law directly challenges the existing Jordanian law of 1953, which prohibits Palestinians from transferring land ownership to any individual from an "enemy state," including Israeli settlers. The law mandates that land sales be conducted through companies rather than individuals and is tightly regulated to prevent land from being sold for commercial purposes. The decision adds to the ongoing debate surrounding Israel's policies in the occupied territories, which have long been a source of contention in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.