Saudi Arabia and seven other countries condemn Israel's actions in the West Bank
The foreign ministers of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the Republic of Turkey issued a joint statement expressing their strong condemnation of the decision issued by the Israeli authorities to classify large areas of land in the occupied West Bank as “state land.”.
This unified diplomatic stance comes in response to recent Israeli moves aimed at initiating procedures to register and settle land ownership in the West Bank, an unprecedented step and a dangerous change to the status quo since Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967.
A blatant violation of international law
The joint statement affirmed that these measures constitute a flagrant violation of international law and relevant international resolutions, including Security Council resolutions that affirm the illegality of settlements and land confiscation in the occupied Palestinian territories. This Israeli move is considered an attempt to legitimize settlements and expand Israeli control over Palestinian land, thus obstructing any genuine opportunity for the establishment of a geographically contiguous and viable Palestinian state.
Legally, international humanitarian law, specifically the Fourth Geneva Convention, prohibits an occupying power from transferring its own population into the territory it occupies or making permanent demographic or geographic changes therein. The reclassification of land as "state land" is a legal mechanism used by Israel to confiscate private and public Palestinian land for settlement projects.
The implications of the decision for the two-state solution
The ministers warned of the serious repercussions of this move on the future of the peace process in the region, noting that Israel's continued settlement policies and land confiscation directly undermine the two-state solution, which is the cornerstone of international efforts to end the conflict. Imposing a new reality on the ground by altering property records complicates any future negotiations and makes an Israeli withdrawal even more difficult and complex.
Historical context and regional situation
This condemnation comes at a time of escalating tensions in the Palestinian territories, as the Israeli government seeks to accelerate settlement construction in Area C of the West Bank. Arab and Islamic states, foremost among them Saudi Arabia, have consistently maintained that the Palestinian issue is central to the Palestinian cause, and that a comprehensive and just peace can only be achieved through Israel's withdrawal from the territories occupied in 1967 and the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The statement called on the international community, especially the Security Council and influential countries, to assume their responsibilities and take immediate action to stop these unilateral measures that threaten regional and international security and stability, and push the region towards more violence and escalation.
