Israeli parliament approves bill to extend sovereignty over the West Bank

According to Israeli media reports, the Knesset voted to advance the initial version of the “Sovereignty Implementation Bill,” which seeks to extend Israeli law, administrative systems, and judicial authority across all areas of the West Bank where Israeli settlements have been established.

The proposal, introduced by Avi Maoz, a member of the Knesset, obliges the Israeli cabinet to take the necessary steps to impose Israeli governance and legal frameworks over these territories.

The preliminary bill will now be referred to the relevant Knesset committee for further review before returning to the floor for its second and third readings — the final stages before becoming law.

In response, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) condemned the move, stating that Israel has no legal authority to assert sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territories, including the West Bank and East Jerusalem.