Riyadh: Saudi Arabia, together with 14 countries and two regional organizations, has strongly condemned the Israeli Knesset’s approval of two draft laws seeking to impose so-called Israeli sovereignty over the occupied West Bank and illegal settlements.
The joint statement, issued by Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Djibouti, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Egypt, Nigeria, and Gambia, along with the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), described the move as a flagrant violation of international law and United Nations Security Council resolutions, notably Resolution 2334. The resolution explicitly condemns measures altering the demographic composition, legal status, and character of the occupied Palestinian territories since 1967, including East Jerusalem.
The nations cited the International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion of October 22, 2025, which reaffirmed the illegality of Israel’s occupation and invalidity of settlement construction and annexation efforts. The opinion underscored Israel’s obligations under international humanitarian law, including ensuring access to essential humanitarian needs in Gaza, facilitating UN relief efforts especially via UNRWA and prohibiting starvation as a method of warfare. The ICJ also reaffirmed the ban on forced displacement, collective transfers, and any measures creating unbearable living conditions for Palestinians.
The statement emphasized that Israel holds no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territories, and declared its so-called UNRWA Cessation Law, aimed at East Jerusalem, as illegal and invalid. The countries warned against Israel’s unilateral and unlawful policies and urged the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibilities to halt these dangerous escalations.
Reiterating support for a just and lasting peace, the statement stressed that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital remains the only viable path to regional stability, security, and the fulfillment of Palestinian legitimate rights.