Israel backs preliminary approval of West Bank sovereignty bills

Israel's parliament gave preliminary approval on Wednesday to two bills that would apply Israeli law to most of the occupied West Bank, including the Maale Adumim settlement bloc, in narrow votes that set the stage for a protracted legislative fight and renewed international criticism. The Knesset approved the general sovereignty measure 25 to 24 and the Maale Adumim bill 32 to 9; both measures must pass three additional readings and committee deliberations to become law.

The bills were introduced by opposition lawmakers and would extend Israeli civil law to territory long administered under military rule, a move supporters say would formalize control and opponents say would amount to annexation of land Palestinians seek for a future state. The parliamentary tally reflected deep divisions: the ruling Likud party largely abstained and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposed advancing the proposals, while a small number of coalition members voted in favor.

Avi Maoz of the Noam party sponsored the broader sovereignty bill, and Avigdor Lieberman’s faction put forward the Maale Adumim measure, according to Knesset records. A veteran lawmaker, Yuli Edelstein, broke with his party to...