Israel's security cabinet has approved new measures for the occupied West Bank, sparking condemnation from Palestinians, Arab nations, and Israeli anti-occupation groups who say the steps amount to de facto annexation. The changes, announced by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, make it easier for Jewish settlers to acquire land and reduce oversight on property transactions, while also transferring more administrative powers to Israeli authorities in sensitive areas such as Hebron. Critics warn these moves will accelerate settlement expansion, undermine Palestinian authority, and increase tensions in the region. The measures come amid record settlement growth and rising displacement of Palestinians, with international bodies and regional governments urging intervention to halt what they describe as illegal land grabs and the erosion of prospects for a Palestinian state.