New Delhi, Feb. 16 -- Israel will begin a contentious land regulation process in a large part of the occupied West Bank, which could result in Israel gaining control over wide swaths of the area for future development, according to a government decision on Sunday.

It paves the way for the resumption of "settlement of land title" processes, which had been frozen in the West Bank since the Mideast War in 1967. It means that when Israel begins the land registration process for a certain area, anyone with a claim to the land must submit documents proving ownership.

The Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now said the process likely amounts to a "mega land grab" from Palestinians.

"This move is very dramatic and allows the state to gain con...