As several Western nations announce their recognition of a Palestinian state ahead of an upcoming UN General Assembly vote, Israel is accelerating its illegal annexation measures of the occupied West Bank to render a Palestinian state impossible. 

The Knesset’s motion supporting the annexation of the West Bank signals Israel’s intention of formalizing what it has already been doing at an accelerated pace since October 7 — establishing total Israeli control over Palestinian land.

The Palestinians of Ras Ain al-Ouja are the latest Bedouin community targeted for expulsion by Israel. They are being forced out through violent settler harassment as part of Israel’s plan to annex most of the West Bank.

Israel is constructing tunnels that Palestinians will be required to pass through in the heart of the West Bank, making large parts of the occupied territory accessible only to Israelis. The aim is to remove the Palestinian presence around Jerusalem.

Israel is expanding its “Iron Wall” offensive in the West Bank as it approves plans to separate the northern West Bank from the south. The plan is an accelerated prelude to Israel’s expected annexation of the West Bank.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s plan to annex the West Bank would see over 60% of the territory becoming a part of Israel. But Palestinian experts say it is “already happening.”

This week the Israeli government made a dangerous move that makes annexation of the West Bank an even closer reality, analysts say. 

While the Biden administration claims to oppose “unilateral steps that make a two-state solution harder to achieve,” Israel has already crossed the “red line” of annexation.

What is happening in Masafer Yatta is not only the largest ethnic cleansing scheme to be carried out by Israel since 1967, but the move should be considered a first step in a much larger scheme of illegal land appropriation, ethnic cleansing and official mass annexation. 

If there ever was a year in recent history that was truly unforgettable, 2020 is it. In Palestine, COVID-19 did not stop the occupation, and in many cases exacerbated the devastating effects of 53 years under Israeli military rule. On top of the pandemic, we witnessed major shifts in global politics with widespread regional normalization, and the defeat of US President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, global movements for justice like Black Lives Matter, and the fight for justice in Palestine continued to transcend borders, thrusting marginalized voices into the mainstream in ways that were once unimaginable.