Islamabad (TDI): A broad coalition of Muslim-majority and European nations, among them Pakistan, has strongly criticized Israel over what they describe as moves toward the “unacceptable de facto annexation” of Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank.
In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, countries including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Brazil, France, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Egypt, Pakistan, Luxembourg, Norway, Palestine, Portugal, Qatar, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Türkiye, and the United Arab Emirates expressed concern that recent Israeli measures to classify large portions of land in the West Bank as “state property” represent a significant escalation. The statement was also endorsed by the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
The group argued that the changes are extensive in scope and risk speeding up settlement expansion while tightening Israeli administrative control in the occupied territory. Earlier this month, the Israeli government approved a plan to formally register vast areas of the West Bank as state land, a move not seen since Israel took control of the territory in 1967. According to the joint statement, such actions contravene international law, which prohibits an occupying power from confiscating land in occupied areas.
The measures are also expected to expand Israeli civilian authority in Areas A and B, which together make up around 40 percent of the West Bank. Signatories warned that these steps appear designed to reshape realities on the ground and advance what they called an unacceptable path toward de facto annexation.
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Describing Israeli settlements as illegal under international law, the statement said decisions facilitating their growth violate existing United Nations Security Council resolutions as well as the 2024 advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice. It urged Israel to immediately reverse the recent measures, fulfill its international obligations, and avoid any actions that would permanently alter the legal and administrative status of the occupied Palestinian territories.
The statement further noted that the developments come amid broader regional tensions, referencing the ceasefire in Gaza brokered by US President Donald Trump and a subsequent 20-point reconstruction framework. It cautioned that continued settlement activity could undermine prospects for meaningful regional cooperation and integration.
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Reaffirming support for a two-state solution, the countries rejected any steps aimed at changing the demographic composition or status of territories occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem. They stressed their opposition to all forms of annexation and warned that such policies threaten the viability of an independent Palestinian state.
