PALESTINE’S LEGAL SCENE – Issue. 318

Your weekly survey of the most important publications and activities related to Palestine and law, from local and international sources

1 – 7 Feb. 2026

Issued every Sunday by Law for Palestine

Prepared by: Nour Kharouf, Arwa Abdel Moniam, and Murad Abu Murad

Translation: Maisaa Abdelqader and Firdous Abdelhameed

Editing: Widad Hussein

This weekly report reviews the legal dynamics of the Palestine question, and everything related to international law and Palestine. The report includes an account of the most important publications, activities and conferences related to Palestine at the local, regional, international levels. The report further covers decisions, decrees, and judicial orders affecting the Palestinian cause, whether made at the official, academic or public levels. The report aims to be a reference for monitoring, documenting and archiving the latest human rights developments related to Palestine, and to present them to individuals, researchers, study centers, and official, academic and legal institutions concerned.

To view this Issue of Palestine’s Legal Scene, please click here (5 minutes read)

Judicial decrees, decisions, positions, and orders issued by official Palestinian bodies:

• Palestinian National Council Chairman Rawhi Fattouh stated that the Israeli occupation authorities’ notice to immediately demolish 14 homes in the Al-Bustan neighborhood of Silwan, south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, constitutes a legal and political crime, as well as an act of ethnic and racial cleansing. (February 1, 2026)
• The Secretary-General of the General Union of Palestinian Workers, Shaher Saad, condemned the Israeli occupation authorities’ prevention of the International Federation of Building and Wood Workers (BWI) delegation from entering the Palestinian territory. He called on the International Labour Organization and the International Trade Union Confederation to pressure the occupation to halt these violations and to ensure the freedom of international trade union delegations to operate. (February 2, 2026)
• Palestinian presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh stated that Katz’s announcement of the Israeli government’s intention to legalize more than 140 colonial farms in the West Bank is “condemned and rejected and constitutes a major escalation in the implementation of annexation and racist expansion policies by the occupation authorities.” (February 3, 2026)
• The Jerusalem Governorate warned of the Israeli occupation authorities’ decision to complete the settlement and registration of all lands in occupied Jerusalem in the Israeli Land Registry (Tabu) by the end of 2029, describing it as the most dangerous settlement-related step since 1967. It stressed that the move represents a final and officially documented transfer of land ownership in favor of the occupying state and its colonial institutions, in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. The Governorate also warned against the so-called Ministry of Construction and Housing’s announcement of the signing of a colonial expansion agreement to expand the “Adam” settlement, built on Palestinian-owned land north of occupied Jerusalem, as well as occupation authorities opening  of the so-called “Pilgrims’ Road” tunnel in the town of Silwan. (February 6, 2026)

Judicial decrees, decisions, positions, and orders issued by official Israeli bodies:

• Israeli authorities demanded that Doctors Without Borders (MSF) cease its operations and leave the Gaza Strip by 28 February 2026, citing alleged non-compliance with Israeli registration requirements. The ministry stated that the organization had failed to submit the mandatory lists of its local employees. (February 1, 2026)
• The Israeli Defense Minister announced government plans to legalize around 140 agricultural settlements in the West Bank, with the support of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He praised the settlers as “pioneers of our day,” and stating that their activities contribute to “weakening Palestinian presence in region” (February 3, 2026)
• The Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, Arieh King, submitted an official letter to the Israeli Minister of Defense and the Minister of National Security, requesting the allocation of military forces to support the municipality in carrying out the eviction of the UNRWA headquarters in the Qalandiya neighborhood, north of occupied Jerusalem. (February 4, 2026)
• The Knesset’s Committee on Education, Culture, and Sports submitted a bill to amend the powers of the Israeli Antiquities Authority in the West Bank and approved it for its first reading. The bill provides for the establishment of the “Judea and Samaria Heritage Authority” (West Bank), which will assume direct responsibility for antiquities, heritage sites, archaeological excavations, as well as their protection, and enforcement. It grants the authority’s inspectors powers of inspection, search, and seizure extending to Palestinians. (February 5, 2026)

Judicial decrees, decisions, positions, and orders issued by Arab, European, and international bodies:

• The Foreign Ministers of Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, in a joint statement, expressed strong condemnation of Israel’s repeated violations of the ceasefire in Gaza, which have resulted in the killing and wounding of more than a thousand Palestinians. The ministers reaffirmed the necessity of achieving a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace based on the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the establishment of their own state. (February 1, 2026)
• The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned the Israeli occupation’s massacre in the Gaza Strip, affirming that the recent bombardment, which killed 31 martyrs, constitutes a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement. ( February 1, 2026)
• UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini warned that violence in the occupied West Bank has reached record levels since October 2023, with more than 1,000 Palestinians killed. He stressed that Israeli settler attacks continue unabated, while Palestinian communities face constant intimidation, are uprooted from their lands and have their livelihoods destroyed amid what he described as “ impunity”. (February 2, 2026)
• European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness, and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, condemned Israel’s repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, calling for respect for international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians. (February 2, 2026)
• Following a judicial investigation that began in spring 2025, the French judiciary revealed the issuance of two arrest warrants against two French-Israeli activists on charges of “complicity in genocide and incitement to genocide in Gaza” for obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip between 2023 and 2025. The case followed a complaint filed by the French Jewish Union for Peace, together with a French-Palestinian complainant, and later joined by the International Federation for Human Rights, Al-Haq, Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights. (February 2, 2026)
• Denmark decided to disburse all of its planned contributions to UNRWA earlier this year, amounting to 105 million Danish kroner. The Danish Foreign Minister affirmed that UNRWA remains an indispensable lifeline for Palestinians, and called on other countries to continue honoring their commitments to support the agency. (February 2, 2026)
• More than 400 former European diplomats urged the institutions of the European Union and the representatives of its 27 member states in Brussels to pressure Israel to improve the situation in Gaza, emphasizing that ongoing restrictions prevent the full and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid. They also called on the member states to comply with the rulings and opinions of the International Court of Justice regarding Gaza, which effectively require a ban on military support to Israel and trade with illegal settlements. (February 2, 2026)
• The League of Arab States condemned the ongoing Israeli violations against Palestinian prisoners, which culminated in the death of freed prisoner Khaled Al-Saifi (67) from the Dheisheh refugee camp, one week after his release in critical health condition. The League emphasized that systematic policies of torture, starvation, beatings, and medical neglect constitute a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. It also stressed the importance of sending an immediate international investigation committee to Israeli prisons to uncover these violations and medical negligence, and to hold those responsible accountable. (February 3, 2026)
• The United Nations Secretary-General emphasized that any sustainable solution in Gaza must comply with international law and ensure that Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are governed by a unified, legitimate, and internationally recognized Palestinian government. He expressed deep concern over Israel’s tender to build 3,401 housing units in the E1 area, noting that its implementation, alongside ongoing demolition activities, would separate the northern West Bank from the south, undermine territorial contiguity, and weaken the prospects for a two-State solution. (February 3, 2026)
• UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric reported that, according to OCHA, the Gaza Ministry of Health recorded dozens of deaths and injuries within 24 hours, with many people still out of reach of emergency teams. The secretary emphasized the necessity for all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law to protect civilians and infrastructure. (February 3, 2026)
• UNRWA spokesperson Jonathan Fowler stated that the failure to allow the Rafah crossing to operate at full capacity means that the humanitarian consequences on the ground will not be alleviated quickly enough, resulting in further loss of life. He emphasized that medical evacuations remain extremely limited, and aid flows are far below actual needs. (February 4, 2026)
• A representative of the European Union, along with EU member states and diplomatic missions, visited the neighborhoods of Batn al-Hawa and Al-Bustan in Silwan, East Jerusalem, amid an unprecedented surge in forced evictions, house demolitions, and settler takeovers of Palestinian homes. The European Union emphasized Israel’s obligations as an occupying power. (February 5, 2026)

Publications of human rights NGOs:

• Christopher Lockyear, Secretary General of Doctors Without Borders (MSF), warned that Israel’s decision to ban the organization’s activities in Gaza and the West Bank constitutes a catastrophic threat to the Palestinian population and is intended to obstruct humanitarian assistance at a time of greatest need. He emphasized that MSF’s refusal to hand over lists of Palestinian staff aimed to protect their safety and personal data and to ensure the independence of medical work. (February 2, 2026)
• Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights welcomed the partial reopening of the Rafah crossing, but warned that Israeli occupation forces have turned it into a tool of systematic humiliation and a crime against Palestinian civilians. Returnees were subjected to arbitrary investigations and degrading interrogations; some women were restrained and held for hours under harsh conditions, and the majority of patients and the injured were prevented from traveling for medical treatment. (February 4, 2026)
• Two Human Rights Watch (HRW) employees who make up the organization’s entire Israel and Palestine team are stepping down from their positions after leadership blocked a report that deems Israel’s denial of Palestinian refugees the right of return a “crime against humanity”. (February 4, 2026)
• The organization Ir Amim warned that the Israeli government is moving forward with a decisive step to complete the registration of all East Jerusalem lands by 2029 through new government decisions, with the declared aim of registering 100% of Palestinian land within four years. It explained that “land settlement” in East Jerusalem has been transformed into a tool serving the state and settlements rather than Palestinian landowners, noting that since 2018, ownership of approximately 85% of the land areas has been transferred to the state and public bodies, while only about 1% has been registered in the names of Palestinians. (February 5, 2026)
• Australian and Palestinian legal organizations have jointly made a formal request to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to arrest Israeli Major General Doron Almog upon his arrival in Australia next week, on charges of war crimes. (February 6, 2026)

Research and academic studies (in Arabic and English):

• Al-Quds University published a master’s thesis by researcher Ahmad Haytham Taha Suliman titled: “The Role of the International Committee of the Red Cross During Armed Conflicts: The 2023 War on Gaza as a Case Study” (2025)
• Sage Journals published a research paper by Hilmi S. Salem titled:“The Current Israeli War 2023–2025 on the Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestine, Based on Social, Economic, Public Health, Environmental, Geopolitical, and Human Rights’ Perspectives”.(2026)
• Jurnal Ius Constituendum published a research paper by Iskandar Iskandar et al., titled “War Crimes Within The Framework of International Humanitarian Law And The Rome Statute: An Analytical Study of Israel-Palestine Conflict”.(2026)

Opinion Pieces and features:

• Mondoweiss published an article by Ahmad Al-Qarout entitled: “The new era of Israeli expansionism and the war economy that fuels it.” (February 2, 2026)
• Al-Shabaka published an opinion piece by Fathi Nimer entitled: “The Future of the West Bank: Settler Takeover and Annexation.” (February 3, 2026)
• +972 MAGAZINE published an article by Ibtisam Mahdi: “With or without a ceasefire, Israel is still targeting Gaza’s journalists.” (February 3, 2026)
• THE CONVERSATION published an article by Timothy J. Dixon entitled: “What will a rebuilt Gaza look like? The competing visions for the Strip’s future.” (February 4, 2026)
• +972 MAGAZINE published an article by Ghousoon Bisharat and Ben Reiff entitled: “U.S. secretly deporting Palestinians to West Bank in coordination with Israel.” (February 5, 2026)
• +972 magazine published an article by Amos Brison titled:“The Legal Fight to Open Gaza to the Foreign Press Has Failed. It Is Time to Change Course.” ( February 6, 2026)
• Reuters published an article by Andrew R.C. Marshall and others entitled: “In Trump’s war on global justice, court staff and U.N. face terrorist‑grade sanctions.” (February 6, 2026)
• Al Jazeera published an article by Mads Gilbert entitled: “Israel’s war on Gaza’s healthcare continues in full force under ‘ceasefire.’(February 6, 2026)
• The Palestine Chronicle published an article by Dr. M. Reza Behnam entitled: “Zionist Israel and the Gaza Genocide: The Scourge of Our Times.” (February 6, 2026)
• The Palestine Chronicle published an article by Robert Inlakesh entitled: “The Gaza Ceasefire Has No Phase Two, Only a Permanent Limbo – Analysis.” (February 6, 2026)

Upcoming human rights opportunities and events:

• The Global Sumud Flotilla announced the launch of the largest coordinated humanitarian intervention for Palestine in history, with a unified maritime flotilla and overland humanitarian convoy set to depart simultaneously on March 29, 2026, mobilizing thousands from over 100 countries in a coordinated, nonviolent response to genocide, siege, mass starvation, and the destruction of civilian life in Gaza. (February 5, 2026)