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Israel's Haaretz newspaper reported the new policy on Sunday, but the military insisted the new orders merely formalised existing procedures and said there would be no new wave of deportations from the territory.
Assad spoke after talks with visiting league chief Amr Mussa, who in remarks to reporters denounced Israel over the move, saying it "places itself above international law."
"For as long as this lasts, things will get worse and it will be more difficult to bring true peace" to the region, Mussa said, adding that the Arab League council would hold an "urgent meeting" on Tuesday to discuss the issue.
Haaretz said amendments to an existing order on preventing infiltration could apply to Palestinians living in the West Bank without official ID cards issued by Israel, as well as to Israelis and foreigners working in areas under limited Palestinian control.
"The order's language is both general and ambiguous, stipulating that the term infiltrator will also be applied to Palestinian residents of Jerusalem, citizens of countries with which Israel has friendly ties (such as the United States) and Israeli citizens, whether Arab or Jewish," the paper said.
"All this depends on the judgment of Israel defence forces commanders in the field."
The Israeli military insisted the amendments merely formalise the military advocate's oversight of the deportation process and did not change the criteria by which it judges illegal residency.
Israel seized the West Bank including east Jerusalem in the 1967 Six Day War. It is expected to form the main part of the Palestinians' promised future state.
The Israeli military can issue its own orders in the West Bank, but these can be overturned by the government or by Israeli courts.
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Assad spoke after talks with visiting league chief Amr Mussa, who in remarks to reporters denounced Israel over the move, saying it "places itself above international law."
"For as long as this lasts, things will get worse and it will be more difficult to bring true peace" to the region, Mussa said, adding that the Arab League council would hold an "urgent meeting" on Tuesday to discuss the issue.
Haaretz said amendments to an existing order on preventing infiltration could apply to Palestinians living in the West Bank without official ID cards issued by Israel, as well as to Israelis and foreigners working in areas under limited Palestinian control.
"The order's language is both general and ambiguous, stipulating that the term infiltrator will also be applied to Palestinian residents of Jerusalem, citizens of countries with which Israel has friendly ties (such as the United States) and Israeli citizens, whether Arab or Jewish," the paper said.
"All this depends on the judgment of Israel defence forces commanders in the field."
The Israeli military insisted the amendments merely formalise the military advocate's oversight of the deportation process and did not change the criteria by which it judges illegal residency.
Israel seized the West Bank including east Jerusalem in the 1967 Six Day War. It is expected to form the main part of the Palestinians' promised future state.
The Israeli military can issue its own orders in the West Bank, but these can be overturned by the government or by Israeli courts.
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