Egypt, Seven Countries Condemn Israeli Measures to Impose Sovereignty in West Bank

Egypt and seven other countries have strongly condemned what they described as illegal Israeli measures aimed at imposing sovereignty, entrenching settlement activity, and creating a new legal and administrative reality in the occupied West Bank, warning that such actions accelerate unlawful annexation attempts and the forced displacement of the Palestinian people.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar denounced Israel’s policies in the occupied West Bank, reaffirming that Israel has no sovereignty over Palestinian territory under international law.

The ministers warned that Israel’s continued expansionist policies and unilateral, unlawful actions in the West Bank risk fuelling further violence and instability across the region, undermining prospects for de-escalation and peace.

They expressed their absolute rejection of these measures, stressing that they constitute a grave violation of international law, directly undermine the two-state solution, and represent an assault on the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to establish an independent, sovereign state along the 4 June 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The ministers added that such actions also erode ongoing regional and international efforts to achieve peace and stability.

The statement emphasised that Israeli measures in the occupied West Bank are null and void, citing clear violations of UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which condemns all Israeli actions aimed at altering the demographic composition, character, and status of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem. The ministers also referenced the 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, which concluded that Israel’s policies and practices in the occupied Palestinian territory, as well as the continuation of its presence there, are illegal, and affirmed the obligation to end the occupation and the invalidity of annexation.

The ministers renewed their call on the international community to uphold its legal and moral responsibilities and to compel Israel to halt its dangerous escalation in the occupied West Bank, including inflammatory statements by Israeli officials.

They stressed that meeting the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and statehood—based on the two-state solution, international legitimacy resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative—remains the only path to achieving a just and comprehensive peace that guarantees security and stability for the entire region.