Pakistan, Muslim Nations Denounce Israeli Actions in Gaza and West Bank
Joint Statement Warns Annexation Threatens Two-State Solution
Pakistan and seven other Muslim-majority countries have strongly condemned what they described as Israel’s repeated violations of the Gaza ceasefire and its illegal actions in occupied Palestinian territory, according to a joint statement released on Monday by Pakistan’s Foreign Office.
The statement was issued by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. The ministers criticised Israeli measures aimed at asserting unlawful sovereignty over Palestinian land and rejected policies that expand settlements and alter the legal and administrative status of the occupied West Bank.
Rejection of Annexation and Settlement Expansion
The ministers said Israel’s actions are accelerating attempts to annex occupied territory and displace the Palestinian population. They reaffirmed that Israel holds no legal sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.
They warned that continued settlement expansion and other illegal measures are intensifying violence and instability, not only in the West Bank but across the wider region.
Violation of International Law
The joint statement expressed “absolute rejection” of Israeli actions, describing them as a clear breach of international law. The ministers said these policies undermine the two-state solution and violate the Palestinian people’s right to establish an independent and sovereign state along the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
They added that such actions weaken ongoing peace efforts and threaten long-term regional stability.
Reference to UN and ICJ Rulings
The foreign ministers declared Israel’s measures “null and void” and said they violate multiple UN Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolution 2334. That resolution condemns efforts to change the demographic composition, character, and status of Palestinian territory occupied since 1967.
They also cited the 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, which ruled that Israel’s policies and continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory are illegal. The court called for an end to the occupation and rejected the legality of annexation.
Call for International Action
The ministers urged the international community to meet its legal and moral responsibilities by pressing Israel to stop what they described as a dangerous escalation in the occupied West Bank. They also condemned inflammatory statements made by Israeli officials.
They stressed that recognising the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and statehood—based on international law, UN resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative—remains the only viable path to lasting peace, security, and stability in the region.
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