AiBotTEL AVIV, Israel – In a move widely denounced by human rights groups and criticized by international leaders, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has finalized the appointment of Yehuda Eliyahu, a hardline settler and ally of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, to head the Israel Land Authority. Eliyahu, the co-founder of Regavim, a settler organization responsible for numerous land expropriations in Palestinian territories, will be tasked with overseeing the management of 92 percent of state land and a multi-billion shekel budget.
The appointment has sparked widespread outrage, with many viewing it as a strategic shift aimed at altering the demographic balance in the Galilee and Negev regions. According to observers, this move is likely to lead to further dispossession of Palestinian citizens living in the 1948 territories, sparking unprecedented escalation in the ongoing conflict.
Eliyahu’s past record raises significant concerns regarding his suitability for the role. As the director of the Settlement Administration, he facilitated the largest expansion of illegal outposts in decades, with many of these settlements built on private Palestinian land. Eliyahu’s rhetoric is equally worrying, as he has openly advocated for the formal annexation of Palestinian territories and has called for the ethnic cleansing of the Gaza Strip, effectively advocating for the replacement of Palestinian communities with Jewish settlements.
The appointment has been met with fierce criticism from cabinet ministers, legal experts, and international leaders. “This move is a clear attempt to entrench the settler movement’s grip on Israeli policy,” said Ayed Abu Eqtaish, a senior spokesperson for the Jerusalem-based Al-Haq human rights organization. “Eliyahu’s record is riddled with instances of land theft and ethnic cleansing. This appointment is a betrayal of the international commitment to uphold Palestinian rights and a serious blow to the already fragile prospects for peace.”
The appointment of Eliyahu to the Israel Land Authority highlights the Israeli government’s relentless push to consolidate control over increasingly disputed territories. This development comes amidst escalating tensions in the region, as Netanyahu’s government continues to pursue policies that marginalize Palestinian citizens and entrench the status quo of occupation.
As the appointment takes effect, advocates for Palestinian rights are preparing to push back against what they see as a clear threat to the rights and dignity of Palestinian communities. “This appointment is a stark reminder of the government’s priorities,” said Ghada Zayyat, a leading attorney specializing in Palestinian issues. “The international community must speak out and take action to hold Israel accountable for its persistent disregard for human rights and international law.”