Arab and Muslim Foreign Ministers Condemn Israeli Actions in West Bank

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, and Türkiye strongly condemned recent Israeli decisions and measures in the "occupied" West Bank, describing them as illegal attempts to impose sovereignty, entrench settlements, and create a new legal and administrative reality in the territory. The ministers reaffirmed that Israel has no sovereignty over the "occupied" Palestinian territory.

In a joint statement issued by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday, the ministers warned that Israel’s continued expansionist policies and illegal measures fuel violence and conflict in the region and undermine ongoing peace efforts.

“These illegal actions constitute a blatant violation of international law, undermine the two-state solution, and assault the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to establish an independent and sovereign state on the 4 June 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” the statement said.

The ministers emphasized that Israel’s measures in the "occupied" West Bank are null and void, citing UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which condemns all Israeli efforts to alter the demographic composition and status of Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.

They also referenced the 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, which found "Israel’s occupation" and annexation policies illegal and called for an end to the "occupation."

The statement renewed a call for the international community to fulfill its legal and moral responsibilities to compel Israel to halt its escalation in the West Bank and to prevent further incitement from Israeli officials.

The ministers stressed that the fulfillment of Palestinian rights to self-determination and statehood, based on the two-state solution, international resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative, remains the only path to achieving just, comprehensive, and lasting peace that ensures security and stability across the region.

The condemnation by Arab and Muslim foreign ministers comes as Israel’s security cabinet on Sunday approved a series of measures aimed at deepening Israeli control over the occupied West Bank and curtailing the already limited authority of the Palestinian Authority.

According to a statement from the office of far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, the decisions would ease procedures allowing Israeli settlers to take control of Palestinian land. Smotrich described the move as part of a broader effort to “bury the idea of a Palestinian state,” signaling the government’s hardline stance on the future of the territory.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the move as “dangerous,” calling it an open attempt to legalize settlement expansion and land confiscation, and urged the United States and the UN Security Council to intervene immediately to prevent further escalation.

Israeli measures in the West Bank, including administrative and security steps, are framed by the Israeli officials as necessary to protect citizens, maintain law and order, and prevent terrorism, rather than as acts of unilateral annexation.

Supporters of Israel argue that these actions aim to safeguard the lives of both Israeli and Palestinian civilians by countering extremist violence, securing borders, and ensuring that communities under threat can live safely. In this context, Israel maintains that its policies are a legitimate and proportionate response to persistent threats, rooted in its responsibility to uphold national security while minimizing civilian harm.