Foreign ministers from eight countries across the Middle East and Asia have strongly condemned what they described as illegal Israeli actions in the occupied West Bank, warning the measures risk further destabilising the region.
In a joint statement, the ministers from Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt accused Israel of attempting to impose sovereignty over occupied Palestinian territory and accelerating settlement expansion.
They said such policies were aimed at creating a “new legal and administrative reality” in the West Bank, which they warned could lead to the annexation of Palestinian land and the displacement of Palestinians.
The ministers reiterated that Israel has no legal sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territories and said continued expansion of settlements and related policies were fuelling tensions and violence.
They described the measures as a “blatant violation of international law” and warned they threatened efforts to achieve a two-state solution, which envisions an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.
The group said Palestinians have the right to an independent and sovereign state based on borders that existed before the 1967 Middle East war, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The joint statement also said the Israeli actions were in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, which condemned settlement activity and attempts to alter the status of Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.
The ministers referenced an advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice in 2024, which found Israel’s continued presence in occupied Palestinian territories unlawful and called for an end to the occupation.
They urged the international community to take responsibility and press Israel to halt what they described as escalating measures in the West Bank, as well as inflammatory rhetoric from Israeli officials.
The ministers said the only path to lasting peace and stability in the region was through a negotiated two-state solution, in line with international resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, ensuring Palestinian self-determination and statehood.
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