DaysofPal- Foreign ministers from 20 Arab, Islamic, and European countries issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s decisions to expand its control over the occupied West Bank, calling for an immediate reversal of the measures.
Released following diplomatic consultations in Jeddah, the statement denounced the illegal steps to reclassify Palestinian land as state land, accelerate settlement expansion, and strengthen Israeli administrative authority in the territory.
Signatories included the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Palestine, Turkey, Brazil, France, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Slovenia, Luxembourg, and Portugal, along with the secretaries-general of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
The ministers said the Israeli decisions constitute a flagrant violation of international law, United Nations Security Council resolutions, and the advisory opinion issued in 2004 by the International Court of Justice.
They urged the Israeli government to halt settlement expansion and refrain from making permanent changes to the legal status of the occupied Palestinian territory.
The statement also called for an end to settler violence in the West Bank and accountability for abuses against Palestinian civilians.
Ministers emphasized the need to preserve the historic and legal status quo in East Jerusalem and its holy sites while recognizing the special custodial role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan over Islamic and Christian sites in the city.
They warned that repeated violations of the status quo could threaten broader regional stability.
The joint declaration further urged the Israeli occupation to release withheld Palestinian tax revenues in accordance with the Paris Protocol, stressing that the funds are essential for providing basic services in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Reaffirming support for a negotiated settlement, the ministers reiterated their commitment to achieving a “just, comprehensive, and lasting peace” based on the two-state solution, referencing the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant UN resolutions.
They emphasized that resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on borders before June 4, 1967, is a prerequisite for long-term regional stability and integration.
The statement marks one of the broadest recent multilateral diplomatic rebukes of Israeli policies in the occupied territories.
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