Saudi Arabia condemns the transfer of West Bank lands to state ownership
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s strong condemnation and denunciation of the Israeli occupation authorities’ decision to approve the transfer of large areas of the occupied West Bank to what it calls “state property,” in a new hostile step aimed at expanding settlement activity and changing the demographic and geographic reality in the Palestinian territories.
A blatant violation of international law
The Ministry affirmed in its statement that these unilateral measures constitute a flagrant violation of international law and international resolutions, foremost among them the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits an occupying power from transferring its own population into the territory it occupies or confiscating the property of the indigenous population. The Kingdom indicated that the occupation's land confiscation policy is a major obstacle to any efforts aimed at achieving peace in the region.
Undermining the two-state solution
In a related context, the Kingdom warned of the dangers of these steps, which directly undermine the prospects for implementing the two-state solution. The transfer of West Bank lands to the control of the occupying authorities aims to impose a new legal and administrative reality that isolates Palestinian cities and villages from one another, making the establishment of a geographically contiguous and viable Palestinian state virtually impossible in the future. These moves come at a time when the international community is united in its view that settlements are illegal, as stipulated in Security Council Resolution 2334.
Saudi Arabia's firm stance
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reiterated its position that Israel has no legitimate sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory. It emphasized its unwavering support for the brotherly Palestinian people in achieving their legitimate and inalienable rights, 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.
A call to the international community
The Foreign Ministry concluded its statement by calling on the international community, especially the Security Council and influential countries, to assume their legal and moral responsibilities to stop these ongoing Israeli violations, provide international protection for the Palestinian people, and work seriously to revive the path of a just and comprehensive peace in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant international legitimacy resolutions.
