BERLIN

Germany criticized Israel on Wednesday for its recent decision to strengthen control in the West Bank, calling it a further step toward “de facto annexation” of the occupied Palestinian territory.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Josef Hinterseher told a press briefing in Berlin that Israel’s move is a violation of international law and contradicts the latest advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, which urged Israel to end the occupation in the West Bank.

“This decision allows Israeli private individuals to purchase land in the West Bank, transfers parts of the administration of the West Bank to civilian Israeli authorities, and all of this contradicts Israel's obligations under international law,” the spokesman said.

“It represents a further step toward a de facto annexation. You have also seen that Cabinet members in Israel have commented on this, speaking of de facto Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank. This amounts to nothing other than an extension of Israeli administration to the West Bank, thus promoting annexation,” he added.

Israel’s Security Cabinet on Sunday approved measures aimed at altering the legal and civil framework in the occupied West Bank to strengthen Israeli control.

Israeli public broadcaster KAN said the decisions include repealing a law that barred the sale of land in the West Bank to Israeli private individuals, unsealing land ownership records, and shifting authority for building permits in a settlement bloc near Hebron from a Palestinian municipality to Israel’s civil administration.