Saudi Arabia, 18 other countries condemn recent Israeli measures in West Bank

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, along with counterparts from Arab, European and other countries, issued a joint statement on Monday condemning recent Israeli decisions expanding Israel’s “illegal control” over the occupied West Bank.

The statement was issued by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Brazil, France, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Egypt, Jordan, Luxembourg, Norway, Palestine, Portugal, Qatar, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Turkey, along with the secretaries-general of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

According to the statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the signatories said the decisions include wide-ranging measures such as reclassifying Palestinian land as so-called Israeli “state land,” accelerating illegal settlement activity, and strengthening Israeli administrative control.

The ministers said Israeli settlements and measures designed to expand them constitute a “flagrant violation” of international law, including relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice. They said the measures form part of what they described as a clear trajectory toward altering facts on the ground and moving toward what they called unacceptable de facto annexation.

The statement said the decisions undermine ongoing efforts toward peace and stability in the region, including the 20-point plan concerning Gaza, and threaten prospects for regional integration. The ministers called on Israel to reverse the measures immediately, respect its international obligations, and refrain from actions that could permanently alter the legal and administrative status of occupied Palestinian territory.

The signatories said the decisions follow what they described as an unprecedented acceleration in Israeli settlement policy, including approval of the E1 settlement project. They said such actions represent a direct challenge to the viability of a Palestinian state and to the implementation of a two-state solution.

They reiterated opposition to any measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character, or legal status of Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, and said they oppose all forms of annexation.

Amid what they described as escalating tensions in the West Bank, the ministers also called on Israel to halt settler violence against Palestinians and hold those responsible accountable.

The statement reaffirmed a commitment to taking concrete steps, in accordance with international law, to address settlement expansion as well as what it described as policies and threats of forced displacement and annexation.

During the holy month of Ramadan, the ministers stressed the importance of maintaining the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its holy sites, while recognizing the special role of the Hashemite custodianship. They also condemned what they described as repeated violations of the status quo, warning these pose a threat to regional stability.

The ministers also urged Israel to release withheld Palestinian tax revenues in accordance with the Paris Protocol, saying the funds are essential for providing basic services to Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

The statement concluded by reaffirming commitment to achieving a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace in the Middle East based on the two-state solution, in line with the Arab Peace Initiative, relevant UN resolutions, and the June 4, 1967 lines. It said ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is essential for peace, stability, and regional integration, adding that coexistence in the region requires the establishment of an independent, sovereign, and democratic Palestinian state.