The Muslim World League commends the condemnation of settlement activity in the West Bank
The Muslim World League expressed its great welcome and absolute support for the statement issued by the foreign ministers of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, along with a number of Arab, Islamic and friendly countries, the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which included a strong condemnation of the decisions of the Israeli occupation government and its escalating illegal measures in the occupied West Bank.
In an official statement issued by the Muslim World League's General Secretariat, His Excellency the Secretary-General of the League and Chairman of the Council of Muslim Scholars, Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, reiterated his warnings about the serious repercussions of the occupying government's continued defiance of international and humanitarian laws and norms. Al-Issa emphasized that these practices not only threaten the Palestinian people but also undermine the prospects for peace and stability in the entire region.
A firm stance against settlement and displacement
In this context, Dr. Al-Issa commended the clear and firm commitment expressed in the ministerial statement to take concrete and practical steps, in accordance with international law, to counter the illegal settlement expansion policies in the Palestinian territories. He also praised the stance rejecting the policies of forced displacement and annexation attempts practiced by the occupying authorities, noting that these actions constitute a flagrant violation of international conventions.
Context of events and escalating tensions
This condemnation comes at a time when the West Bank is witnessing an unprecedented escalation in settlement construction and land confiscation, threatening to sever Palestinian cities and making the establishment of a geographically contiguous Palestinian state extremely difficult. The settlement issue is one of the most significant obstacles to the peace process, as the international community, including the United Nations and the International Court of Justice, considers settlements built on land occupied in 1967 illegal and a war crime under the Fourth Geneva Convention.
The pivotal role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
This statement reflects the leading and pivotal role played by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in mobilizing international support for the Palestinian cause. Since the outbreak of the recent crises, the Kingdom has spearheaded intensive diplomatic efforts through the ministerial committee established by the joint Arab-Islamic summit, aimed at halting the aggression and protecting the rights of the Palestinian people. This renewed initiative reaffirms Riyadh's unwavering commitment to supporting Arab and Islamic rights in international forums.
A call to the international community to save the two-state solution
In closing, Dr. Al-Issa called upon the international community and all peace-loving nations to move beyond mere verbal condemnations and take decisive collective and individual measures to end the violations committed by the occupying power. He emphasized the necessity of enforcing international law, including relevant Security Council resolutions, activating the New York Declaration, and working diligently to implement the two-state solution.
The League affirmed that the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and to establish their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital is a historical and inalienable right that does not expire with time, and it is the only way to achieve a just and comprehensive peace that guarantees security and stability for all the peoples of the region.
