Saudi Arabia and seven other countries condemn Israel's expansionist policies in the West Bank

The foreign ministries of eight Islamic and Arab countries – the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the State of Qatar, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of Turkey, the Republic of Indonesia, and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan – issued a strongly worded joint statement expressing their unequivocal condemnation of Israel’s expansionist policies in the occupied Palestinian territories.

A firm rejection of attempts at annexation and changing the demographic reality

The signatory states affirmed in their statement their absolute rejection of illegal Israeli measures aimed at imposing sovereignty over parts of the occupied West Bank and expanding settlements. They considered these actions a flagrant violation of international law and the UN Charter, which prohibits the acquisition of territory by force. The statement indicated that attempts to alter the demographic and geographic character of the occupied territories, including East Jerusalem, are null and void and acquire no legitimacy, regardless of their duration.

Legal and international reference: Resolution 2334 and the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice

The joint statement was based on well-established international legal precedents, citing UN Security Council Resolution 2334 of 2016, which demands that Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory. It also highlighted the landmark advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice of 2024, which affirmed the illegality of the Israeli occupation and related practices, stressing the need to end this occupation and the invalidity of any measures aimed at annexing Palestinian territory.

The repercussions of expansionist policies on regional security

The eight countries warned that the continuation of these policies not only threatens the rights of the Palestinian people but also poses a grave danger to security and stability throughout the Middle East. They explained that undermining the two-state solution by imposing a new settlement reality closes off the political horizon, inevitably fueling violence and conflict and widening the circle of tension. This warning comes at a time when the region is facing complex security and political challenges, necessitating concerted efforts to prevent a slide into further chaos.

Calling on the international community to assume its responsibilities

In closing, the signatory states called on the international community to break its silence and uphold its legal and moral responsibilities. They demanded concrete and binding steps to compel Israel to halt its dangerous escalation in the West Bank and cease its provocative statements and actions. The statement emphasized that the only path to achieving a just and comprehensive peace is through fulfilling the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them their right to self-determination and the establishment of their independent and sovereign state within the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant UN resolutions.