Khaberni - The foreign ministers of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Federative Republic of Brazil, the French Republic, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Republic of Finland, the Republic of Iceland, the Republic of Indonesia, Ireland, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Kingdom of Norway, the State of Palestine, the Portuguese Republic, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Slovenia, the Kingdom of Spain, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Republic of Turkey, and the Secretaries-General of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, condemned in the strongest terms the recent series of Israeli decisions that introduce extensive expansions to the illegal Israeli control over the West Bank.
These changes include a wide range of reclassifying Palestinian land as so-called “state lands” of Israel, to accelerating illegal settlement activity, and strengthening the entrenchment of Israeli administration.
They clearly stated that the Israeli settlements are illegal, and the decisions designed to enhance them, are a blatant violation of international law, including relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, and the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice for the year 2024.
These recent decisions are part of a clear path aimed at changing the reality on the ground, and moving forward towards an unacceptable actual annexation. Moreover, they undermine ongoing efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region, including the Ten-Point Plan concerning Gaza, and threaten any real prospect for regional integration.
These countries called on the Israeli government to immediately retract them, respect its international obligations, and refrain from taking any actions that could cause permanent changes in the legal and administrative status of the occupied Palestinian territories.
These decisions come in the wake of an unprecedented acceleration of the Israeli settlement policy, including the approval of Project E1 and the issuance of its tenders. These actions constitute a direct and deliberate attack on the viability of the Palestinian state and the implementation of the two-state solution. In this context, we once again confirm our rejection of all measures aimed at changing the demographic composition, character, and legal status of the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem. We also oppose any form of annexation.
In light of the alarming escalation in the West Bank, we also call on Israel to put an end to settler violence against Palestinians, including by holding those responsible for these violations accountable.
They reaffirmed their commitment to concrete actions, in accordance with international law, to address the expansion of illegal settlements on Palestinian land, and policies and threats of forced displacement and annexation.
In the blessed month of Ramadan, they reiterated the importance of preserving the existing historical and legal status in Jerusalem and its holy sites, recognizing the special role of the historical Hashemite custodianship in this regard.
They condemned the repeated violations of the status quo in Jerusalem, which pose a threat to regional stability.
They called on Israel to immediately release the detained tax revenues owed to the Palestinian Authority. These revenues must be transferred to the Palestinian Authority according to the Paris Protocol, as they are vital for providing basic services to the Palestinian populations in Gaza and the West Bank.
They reiterated their firm 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 and relevant United Nations resolutions, and based on the lines of June 4, 1967. As stated in the New York Declaration, ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is imperative to achieve peace, stability, and regional integration. Coexistence among the peoples and countries of the region can only be achieved through the establishment of an independent, sovereign, and democratic Palestinian state.
