Israel's Supreme Court has held a hearing over an attempt to displace more than 1,000 Palestinians from a rural part of the occupied West Bank that the Israeli army has designated for military exercises.
The army wants to demolish eight small communities in a rocky area of the southern West Bank near Hebron.
Petitioners say it would make more than 1,000 Palestinians homeless and endanger their nomadic way of life, making a living from farming and herding.
The high court is expected to hand down a ruling soon after more than 20 years of legal manoeuvring.
The area, spanning 3,000 hectares, is known to Palestinians as Masafer Yatta and to Israelis as the South Hebron Hills. It lies close to the West Bank-Israel boundary.
“They have been dragging us from one court hearing to another for 22 years,” Othman Al Jabareen, one of the Palestinian petitioners, said in court.
“God willing, the justices will let us stay on our land because we have no other option.”
The Israeli state prosecutor told Tuesday's hearing: “The Israeli military has conclusively stated the crucial importance of this firing zone for military training. We have looked into that issue over and over.”
In 1999, the military displaced hundreds of Palestinian inhabitants from their homes after declaring the area a firing zone. Initial petitions were filed in 2000 and a court ordered the Israeli government to allow the residents to return pending a final ruling.
After repeated delays, the government and military filed responses to the Palestinian petitions in 2012.
Palestinian residents said they have been denied building permits, with the army demolishing any new structures including houses, water wells and solar panels.
Meanwhile, the military has conducted only sporadic exercises.
In pictures — a shepherd watches his flock in the Holy Land
Palestinians in the area also say they have struggled to connect to water and electricity networks to which nearby Jewish settlements built on occupied land have access to.
“This case is not about a firing zone; it is about taking control of land because, unlike other areas, most of this land is privately owned,” said Shlomo Lecker who, along with the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, is representing 200 of the Palestinian families under threat of displacement.
“In effect, this is land expropriation without compensation.”
Outside the Jerusalem court, dozens of Israeli protesters opposed to the country's occupation of the West Bank since a 1967 war held up signs reading “Families, not firing zones” and “Masafer Yatta is not a military playground".
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)
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Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)
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Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)
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Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
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