On July 5, 2026, a new Military Commander Order was signed, Order Concerning Natural Gas Activities (Judea and Samaria) (No. 2300), 2026, establishing for the first time a dedicated and comprehensive legal framework for regulating natural gas activities in Judea and Samaria.
This is a significant regulatory development for the infrastructure and energy sectors in Judea and Samaria. Until the Order was issued, there was no comprehensive, dedicated framework in the area governing the operation, construction, transmission, distribution and supervision of natural gas infrastructure. The Order now enables the development of natural gas infrastructure in Judea and Samaria within an orderly regulatory framework that draws substantially on the arrangements and terminology used under Israeli law for the natural gas sector.
Under the Order, no person may construct or operate a natural gas transmission system or distribution network in the area without a license or permit from the Supervisor – the Energy Staff Officer at the Civil Administration. The Order further provides that a holder of a transmission license under the Natural Gas Sector Law, 5762-2002 may obtain a permit to construct and operate a transmission system in the area, as well as a distribution license or distribution permit for the construction and operation of a distribution network in the area.
The Order establishes a comprehensive framework for regulating natural gas activities in the area. Among other things, it imposes licensing or permitting requirements and establishes key mechanisms governing activity in the sector. On certain matters, the Order refers to supplementary arrangements to be prescribed by the Supervisor, who is authorized to impose conditions in licenses or permits and to issue rules and procedures, including with respect to tariffs, service levels and standards. In addition, the Order includes provisions concerning supervision, information requests and enforcement; the construction and modification of gas facilities; and mechanisms for entering land, acquiring certain rights in land and paying compensation for damage.
It should also be noted that the Order goes beyond establishing a licensing framework and includes criminal enforcement provisions and sanctions for operating without a license or permit, damaging gas facilities, interfering with the activities of license or permit holders, and failing to comply with various regulatory requirements. Accordingly, any entity seeking to operate in this field should carefully assess in advance the full range of requirements applicable to it.
Substantively, this is an important development that will, for the first time, enable natural gas projects in Judea and Samaria to be advanced within a regulated framework, while providing legal and regulatory certainty for developers, infrastructure companies, financing entities and relevant consumers in the area.
In summary, the new Order is a significant regulatory step in the regulation of the natural gas sector in Judea and Samaria. It creates a pathway for advancing activities and infrastructure in the sector within a dedicated legal framework that did not previously exist, thereby enabling the development of energy infrastructure (such as power plants), heavy industry, transportation and similar activities that rely on natural gas.
Our firm’s Judea and Samaria Regulation and Infrastructure team, led by Adv. Col. (res.) Asem Hamed, former Chief Legal Adviser for Judea and Samaria, is available to assist companies, developers and infrastructure entities in assessing the implications of the new Order and advancing the regulatory and planning processes required for activities in this sector.
The above content is a summary provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It should not be relied upon without obtaining further professional legal counsel.
