ABSTRACT
Israel’s planning and building policy in the West Bank is aimed at preventing Palestinian development and dispossessing Palestinians of their land. Israel exploits the law to prevent development, thwart planning and carry out demolitions. Israel uses its control over the area to quash Palestinian planning and building. Without land for construction, local Palestinian authorities cannot supply public services that require new structures, such as medical clinics and schools, nor can they plan open spaces for recreation within communities. Israel’s policy in an area is based on the assumption that the area is primarily meant to serve Israeli needs, and on the ambition to annex large parts of it to the sovereign territory of Israel.
