Saudi Arabia condemns the construction of 19 Israeli settlements in the West Bank
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the Kingdom's strong condemnation and denunciation of the Israeli occupation authorities' approval of the construction of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank. The Ministry considered this move a blatant new violation of relevant UN resolutions and a flagrant challenge to international law, which criminalizes settlement activity in occupied territories.
The Ministry affirmed in an official statement that the Kingdom categorically rejects these unilateral measures, which undermine peace prospects and fuel tension in the region. The Kingdom reiterated its call upon the international community to fulfill its legal and moral responsibilities to put an end to these ongoing violations, which obstruct all efforts aimed at finding a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue.
Threatening the two-state solution and undermining peace efforts
This Israeli move comes at a time of escalating tensions in the Palestinian territories, where settlement expansion is seen as the main obstacle to implementing the two-state solution. Observers and political experts assert that building new settlements, particularly deep within the West Bank, aims to impose a new geographic and demographic reality that would render the establishment of a geographically contiguous and viable Palestinian state virtually impossible—a scenario that Saudi Arabia has repeatedly warned against in international forums.
The firm and historic Saudi position
This statement is a continuation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's longstanding and unwavering support for the brotherly Palestinian people. For decades, the Kingdom has led Arab and Islamic diplomatic efforts to defend Palestinian rights, based on the Arab Peace Initiative, which it proposed and which was adopted by the Arab Summit in Beirut in 2002. This initiative and international resolutions affirm the right of Palestinians to establish their independent state within the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Violation of international law
Legally, Israeli settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, is illegal under international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits an occupying power from transferring its own civilian population into the territory it occupies. The UN Security Council has issued several resolutions condemning settlements and demanding their cessation, most notably Resolution 2334 of 2016, which affirmed that settlements have no legal validity and constitute a flagrant violation of international law.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs concluded its statement by affirming that the Kingdom will continue its tireless diplomatic efforts, in coordination with its brothers and friends in the international community, to support the Palestinian people and enable them to obtain their legitimate rights, and to stop all practices that threaten regional security and stability.
