A significant development occurred today (Tuesday) during a meeting of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, when a representative from the Ministry of Defense announced that the ministry is promoting, alongside the legislative process, a military order that will annul the racist restriction on Jews purchasing land in Judea and Samaria – even before the completion of the legislative process in the Knesset.
The legal advisor’s statement from the Ministry of Defense was delivered during a session chaired by MK Boaz Bismuth, during which the committee approved for the first reading the bill to abolish the 1953 “Jordanian Law,” which until now prohibited Jews from acquiring rights to land in the Judea and Samaria area.
The aim of the law is to allow any Israeli citizen or anyone eligible under the Law of Return to purchase land in Judea and Samaria – without the need to circumvent the restrictions through registered companies.
Until now, Jews interested in purchasing land in Judea and Samaria were required to act through an indirect mechanism, such as setting up a local company – a complex legal procedure designed to overcome the ban.
The Chairmen of the Land of Israel Lobby stated after the discussion: “Today we took a significant step towards correcting a historical and racist injustice. It is unacceptable that in the Land of Israel there should be a restriction on Jews acquiring land simply because of their Jewish identity. We expect the law to pass as soon as possible in the plenary so that we can move forward with the second and third readings and end the racist discrimination against Jews.”