Pakistan, other Muslim countries condemn Israeli measures in occupied West Bank

Islamabad (Web Desk): Foreign ministers from several Islamic and Arab countries on Monday strongly denounced Israel’s recent actions in the occupied West Bank, accusing it of taking unlawful steps to assert control, deepen settlement expansion, and impose a new legal and administrative framework on the territory.

They reiterated that Israel has no legitimate sovereignty over any part of the occupied Palestinian land and warned that these measures amounted to fast-tracking illegal annexation while displacing the Palestinian population.

According to a joint statement shared with the media by the Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab (UAE) Emirates, Indonesia, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar cautioned that Israel’s continued expansionist approach and unilateral policies in the West Bank were worsening instability and fueling violence across the region.

The ministers made it clear that they categorically rejected these actions, describing them as a blatant violation of international law.

They said the measures severely weakened prospects for a two-state solution and violated the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to establish an independent and sovereign state along the 4 June 1967 borders, with occupied Jerusalem as its capital.

The foreign ministers further noted that such steps were undermining ongoing efforts aimed at securing peace and long-term stability in the Middle East.

The statement emphasized that the Israeli measures in the occupied West Bank were null and void, highlighting their inconsistency with United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, particularly Resolution 2334.

It added that the resolution condemns any attempts by Israel to alter the demographic composition, character, or legal status of Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem.

The ministers also referred to the 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, which concluded that Israel’s continued presence and practices in the occupied Palestinian territory were unlawful, called for an end to the occupation, and rejected the legality of annexing Palestinian land.

The ministers renewed their appeal to the international community to uphold its legal and moral responsibilities by taking concrete steps to compel Israel to stop what they described as a dangerous escalation in the West Bank, as well as inflammatory remarks by Israeli officials.

They concluded by stressing that safeguarding the Palestinian people’s legitimate right to self-determination and statehood—through a two-state solution grounded in internationally recognized resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative—remains the only viable path toward achieving a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace that ensures security and stability across the region.