مطلوب خبير استشاري قانوني - تقييم الجوانب القانونية والسياسات

الوصف الوظيفي:
Job Specific Context:
The West Bank is divided into Areas A, B, and C under the 1995 Interim Oslo Accords. Area C, constituting approximately 60 per cent of the West Bank, remains under full Israeli control and is central to Palestinian statehood due to its land, natural resources, and development potential. Palestinians living in Area C face severe restrictions related to planning, construction, land registration, and access to resources, driven by a restrictive Israeli military and administrative regime. Since 1968, Israeli Military Order No. 291 has suspended land registration in the West Bank, resulting in only approximately 30 per cent of land being formally registered. Despite renewed Palestinian-led efforts since 2016, supported by international partners including the European Union, large areas, particularly in Area C, remain unsettled. Palestinian land settlement processes are implemented under the Jordanian Land and Water Settlement Law of 1952, which provides a legally recognized framework for adjudicating land rights and issuing titles that may serve as evidence in Israeli courts.

Recent developments significantly alter this legal and administrative landscape. On 11 May 2025, the Israeli Security Cabinet approved the resumption of land registration and settlement

The West Bank is divided into Areas A, B, and C under the 1995 Interim Oslo Accords. Area C, constituting approximately 60 per cent of the West Bank, remains under full Israeli control and is central to Palestinian statehood due to its land, natural resources, and development potential. Palestinians living in Area C face severe restrictions related to planning, construction, land registration, and access to resources, driven by a restrictive Israeli military and administrative regime. Since 1968, Israeli Military Order No. 291 has suspended land registration in the West Bank, resulting in only approximately 30 per cent of land being formally registered. Despite renewed Palestinian-led efforts since 2016, supported by international partners including the European Union, large areas, particularly in Area C, remain unsettled. Palestinian land settlement processes are implemented under the Jordanian Land and Water Settlement Law of 1952, which provides a legally recognized framework for adjudicating land rights and issuing titles that may serve as evidence in Israeli courts.

Recent developments significantly alter this legal and administrative landscape. On 11 May 2025, the Israeli Security Cabinet approved the resumption of land registration and settlement in Area C under Israeli jurisdiction for the first time since 1967, marking a fundamental shift in Israeli policy. This decision forms part of a broader series of legislative, administrative, and institutional measures aimed at expanding Israeli control over land governance in the occupied West Bank.  These developments have occurred alongside continued settlement expansion, including the approval and legalization of dozens of settlements and outposts since May 2025 and the advancement of plans for thousands of additional housing units across Area C during 2026. These actions are widely regarded as advancing de facto annexation, undermining Palestinian land claims, bypassing Palestinian institutions such as the Palestinian Land Authority (PLA), and posing substantial risks to internationally funded development interventions in Area C.

On 8 February 2026, the Israeli Security Cabinet approved additional measures strengthening Israeli administrative, planning, and land-governance powers in the West Bank. One week later, on 15 February 2026, the Government allocated NIS 244 million and established a dedicated authority to implement land registration and settlement in Area C. Subsequently, on 27 May 2026, Israel launched a digital platform for land registration and settlement of rights in Area C, operationalizing the new institutional framework and facilitating the implementation of these measures.

These developments build upon earlier administrative changes, including the transfer of significant planning and land administration powers from the Israeli Civil Administration to civilian authorities, and are widely viewed as further entrenching Israeli civil governance structures in the occupied territory. Critics, including the Palestinian leadership, numerous states, and international organizations, have characterized these measures as steps toward de facto annexation and inconsistent with international law.

At the same time, the planning environment in Area C has become increasingly restrictive. Since the suspension of technical discussions on Palestinian local outline plans with the Israeli Civil Administration (ICA) in July 2023, planning opportunities have continued to diminish. This has been compounded by cumulative Israeli policies and military orders affecting planning and development in Area C, further constraining Palestinian spatial planning and increasing uncertainty for development interventions.

The EU is funding the project "Scaling Up Community-Driven Processes of Mapping of Land Rights and Land Use Planning in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, with a focus on the West Bank, including Area C," implemented by UN-Habitat in partnership with the PLA and MoLG. Within the ambit of this project, UN-Habitat in light of the rapidly evolving legal, administrative, and political context affecting land governance, planning, and settlement expansion in Area C,  aims to conduct a comprehensive legal assessment to understand the implications of recent Israeli decisions on land registration, project implementation, legal risk exposure, and future programming.

Job Highlight:
The purpose of this assignment is to engage a Legal Expert to assess the latest legal, policy and institutional landscape governing land registration and planning in Area C of the occupied West Bank. The assessment will examine recent Israeli legislative, administrative and policy developments – including decisions related to land registration, settlement expansion, planning and the transfer of administrative authorities – and analyze their implications for Palestinian land rights, land governance and the implementation of the EU-funded land settlement and planning project.

The consultant shall lead the work under this assignment in close cooperation with a dedicated legal committee established jointly from the Palestinian Land Authority (PLA), the Ministry of Local Government (MoLG), and the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission (CWRC).

The assessment will provide legal analysis and interpretation, identify legal and operational risks, assess potential impacts on Palestinian land settlement and on the project, and propose practical mitigation measures. It will also develop forward-looking scenarios and strategic recommendations to support evidence-based decision-making by UN-Habitat, the PLA, MoLG, the EU and other relevant stakeholders.

Role Purpose:
The specific objectives of the assignment are to:

Analyze and interpret recent Israeli legislative, administrative and policy developments affecting land registration, land administration, spatial planning and settlement expansion in Area C, including their consistency with applicable domestic and international legal frameworks. 
Assess the legal status, validity, and evidentiary value of Palestinian-led land settlement and registration processes under the evolving legal and administrative context, including their recognition and enforceability.
Analyze how Israeli courts have actually treated Jordanian-law settlement documents and titles in practice, moving beyond an abstract review of the legal framework.
Examine how recent developments may influence public confidence, community perceptions, and willingness to engage in Palestinian land settlement processes.
Formulate clear recommendations advising whether Palestinian landowners should engage with the new Israeli digital land registration platform or abstain, and explicitly analyze the legal, tenure, and operational consequences associated with each course of action.
Identify legal, operational, financial, and political risks arising from the new context.
Assess the differentiated gender impacts of recent Israeli land and planning measures, examining how changes to land tenure security, displacement risks, and registration processes uniquely affect women's Housing, Land and Property (HLP) rights, inheritance claims, and socio-economic vulnerability.
Propose practical legal and operational mitigation measures and response options to reduce identified risks and strengthen project resilience.
Develop plausible future scenarios, assessing their potential implications for Palestinian land rights, the mandates and operations of the PLA and MoLG, ongoing land settlement and planning initiatives, and future programming by development partners, and provide strategic recommendations and action points under each scenario
Functions / Key Results Expected:

The Legal Expert shall undertake the following tasks in close collaboration, consultation, and coordination with the joint legal committee comprising representatives from the PLA, MoLG, and the CWRC:

3.1 Legal and Policy Assessment

Review and analyze the recent Israeli developments related to land registration, land administration, spatial planning and settlement expansion in Area C, including their legal basis, scope, institutional arrangements and intended application.
Interpret these decisions in light of:
International humanitarian law and international human rights law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Applicable international legal principles governing occupation;
Israeli domestic legislation, military orders, and administrative regulations;
Applicable Ottoman, British Mandate, Jordanian, and Palestinian legal frameworks governing land administration and planning;
The Oslo Accords and subsequent agreements governing the status of Area C.
Assess how these decisions alter the administrative, legal, and institutional status of land registration and planning in Area C.
Review the legal, policy, regulatory, and institutional framework relevant to the National Spatial Development Plan 2050 (NSDP), identify gaps and overlaps in mandates, and recommend improvements to support its formal adoption, implementation, coordination, monitoring, and periodic review.
3.2 Implications for Palestinian Land Rights and Institutions

Analyze the implications for Palestinian land tenure security, Housing Land and Property Rights (HLP), ownership claims, and access to land and natural resources.
Assess the impact on Palestinian institutions:
The PLA with respect to land settlement, adjudication, and spatial planning functions.
The MoLG, with respect to spatial planning, local outline plans, community-led planning processes, and broader planning objectives in Area C.
Examine how recent developments may affect coordination mechanisms, institutional authorities, and the implementation of Palestinian land governance and planning policies.
Examine the risks of dispossession, retroactive legalization of settlements, and erosion of Palestinian-led land registration efforts.
3.3 Assessment of Palestinian Land Settlement and Planning Processes

Assess the legal status, validity, recognition, and evidentiary value of Palestinian-led land settlement processes under the evolving legal and administrative context.
Examine the interaction between Palestinian and Israeli land registration systems, including any legal conflicts, overlaps, or competing claims that may arise.
Assess whether recent developments may affect public confidence, community perceptions, and willingness to participate in Palestinian-led land settlement and planning processes.
Evaluate the potential implications for the achievement of Palestinian national land settlement and spatial planning objectives in Area C.
3.4 Assessment of Implications for the EU-Funded Project

Review the objectives, activities, and geographic focus of the EU-funded land settlement project.
Assess how the recent legal and administrative developments may affect (including but not limited to the following):
Implementation of various project activities.
Access to project areas and beneficiaries.
Engagement with Palestinian institutions and communities.
Identify potential constraints, delays, or threats to project implementation.
3.5 Risk Assessment and Mitigation Measures

Identify and assess key risks, including but not limited to:
Legal risks (e.g. non-recognition, legal challenges, invalidation of outputs).
Operational risks (e.g. access restrictions, interference by Israeli authorities).
Financial risks (e.g. budget disruption, ineligible or unrecoverable costs, funding conditionality).
Political risks (e.g. shifts in donor or government positions, reputational exposure, and constraints on implementing partners).
Evaluate how risks (such as legal non-recognition or platform engagement) disproportionately affect women landowners and female-headed households, and propose gender-responsive mitigation and advocacy measures.
Propose practical legal, institutional, operational, policy, and advocacy measures to mitigate identified risks and strengthen the resilience of Palestinian land governance institutions and ongoing interventions.
3.6 Future Scenarios and Strategic Recommendations

Develop multiple plausible future scenarios related to land registration and governance in Area C (e.g. continuation of current policies, escalation of annexation measures, partial suspension, or international intervention).
For each scenario, assess implications for:
Palestinian land rights and tenure security;
the mandates and operations of the Palestinian Land Authority (PLA);
the planning mandate and objectives of the Ministry of Local Government (MoLG);
Palestinian land settlement and community-led planning initiatives;
future programming by development partners and donors;
Provide clear, actionable recommendations and decision-oriented action points, including immediate, medium-term, and long-term actions for the PLA, MoLG, UN-Habitat, the European Union, and other relevant stakeholders.
3.7 Committee Coordination, Facilitation, and Validation

Facilitate and lead regular consultative meetings, briefings, and workshops with the joint legal committee (comprising representatives from the PLA, MoLG, and CWRC) throughout the assignment lifecycle to guide the assessment process.
Present preliminary findings, draft legal analyses, and strategic recommendations to the joint legal committee and key stakeholders to solicit feedback, test assumptions, and ensure institutional alignment
Validated Final Report incorporating feedback, meeting notes, and consensus points gathered from the joint legal committee review and validation workshop.
Executive Summary / Briefing Note in both languages: Arabic and English, (5–7 pages) tailored for decision-makers and donors.The Legal Expert shall deliver (In English):

Inception Report and Consultation Plan, outlining the proposed methodology, timeline, and schedule of engagement meetings with the joint legal committee.
Draft Legal Assessment Report, including:
Interpretation of recent Israeli decisions
Implications analysis
Risk assessment and mitigation measures
Scenario analysis with recommendations and action points
The assignment is expected to be carried out over a short-term consultancy period, with an estimated level of effort of 30 working days over a 3 month period. This assignment is primarily home-based, with required local travel and field visits across the West Bank (including Area C) as needed for stakeholder consultations, committee meetings, and site-level assessments

متطلبات الوظيفة:
Education:

Required:
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Law.
Desired:
Knowledge in Jordanian Land Settlement Law, specialization in international law, land and property law, or another closely related field.

Experience:
Required:
Minimum 10 years of professional experience in legal analysis, legal advisory services, or policy development related to occupied territories, land governance, land administration, spatial planning, or international development.

· Demonstrated expertise in the legal framework governing the West Bank, including land registration, planning regimes, Israeli military orders, and applicable Israeli, Palestinian, Jordanian, and international legal frameworks.

· Demonstrated knowledge of international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and international legal principles applicable to situations of occupation.

· Proven experience assessing the legal and policy implications of land governance, planning, or territorial administration in politically sensitive or conflict-affected contexts.

· Experience providing legal and strategic policy advice to governments, international organizations, or donor-funded programmes.

·  Proven experience facilitating multi-stakeholder consultations, institutional workshops, and collaborative working groups, particularly with government bodies and civil society organizations.

· Excellent analytical, legal drafting, and policy advisory skills, with demonstrated ability to produce high-quality analytical reports and practical recommendations for technical and non-technical audiences.

Desired:
·       Demonstrated understanding of the mandates and institutional roles of Palestinian land sector institutions, particularly the Palestinian Land Authority (PLA) and Ministry of Local Government (MoLG).

Previous experience conducting legal assessments or providing advisory services on Housing, Land and Property (HLP) rights, land tenure security, or land governance in the occupied Palestinian territory.
VII. Language requirements

Proficiency level

Required/Desired

Arabic

Excellent written and spoken proficiency

Required

English

Excellent written and spoken proficiency

Required

Work schedule No. of Days 

Prepare the initial workplan and convene a meeting with the UN-Habitat team and the joint legal committee (PLA, MoLG, CWRC) to discuss and finalize the work plan and inception phase. 2

Milestone 2: Review of recent Israeli cabinet decisions, legislative/administrative developments, relevant legal frameworks, and prior Jordanian-law settlement documentation and court practice. 8

Milestone 3: Submit and discuss the Inception Report and Consultation Plan, including the tentative table of contents of the Legal Assessment Report. 4

Milestone 4: Organize and facilitate consultative meetings, interviews, and workshops with the joint legal committee, Palestinian institutions, and stakeholders to analyze risks, platform engagement options, and gender dimensions. 8

Milestone 5: Draft the comprehensive Legal Assessment Report and bilingual Executive Summary/Briefing Note, and submit for committee and stakeholder review. 6

Milestone 6: Facilitate the formal validation workshop, integrate feedback, and produce the final Legal Assessment Report and deliverables 2

Total 30
تفاصيل الوظيفة:
المسمى الوظيفي: Legal Expert Consultant -Legal and Policy Assessment
آخر موعد للتقديم: 10.09.2026.
المكان: رام الله والبيرة
طبيعة العمل: عن بُعد
نوع الوظيفة: العقود والاستشارات
المستوى المهني: متوسط الخبرة
الدرجة العلمية: الماجستير
الخبرة: 10 سنوات
التصنيف: القانون والمحاماة
آلية التقديم:
Intersted applicants are requested to send their CVs to: unhabitat-palestine@un.org