The Israeli government has approved a plan to claim large areas of the occupied West Bank as “state property” if Palestinians cannot prove ownership, prompting a regional outcry and accusations of “de facto annexation”.

Israel’s Kan broadcaster reported on Sunday that the proposal was submitted by far-right Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich, Minister of Justice Yariv Levin and Minister of Defence Israel Katz.

The decision paves the way for the resumption of the “settlement of land title” processes, which have been frozen since Israel’s occupation of the West Bank in 1967.

The Palestinian presidency condemned the decision in a statement, calling it a “grave escalation and a flagrant violation of international law”, which amounts to “de-facto annexation”.

It called on the international community, especially the United States and the United Nations Security Council, to intervene immediately.

Al Jazeera’s Imran Ullah Khan reports.