ISLAMABAD, FEB 17: The foreign ministers of eight Islamic countries, including Pakistan, have strongly condemned Israel’s decision to designate lands in the occupied West Bank as so-called “state land.”
In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the ministers described the move as a serious violation of international law and a dangerous escalation that threatens the prospects of a two-state solution.
The joint statement was issued by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
According to the statement, the ministers rejected Israel’s decision to declare occupied West Bank land as “state land” and condemned the approval of procedures for land registration and settlement across extensive areas of the occupied territory for the first time since 1967.
‘Grave escalation’, illegal land grabbing
The foreign ministers described the Israeli move as a grave escalation aimed at accelerating illegal settlement activity and land confiscation.
They said the step was designed to entrench Israeli control, impose unlawful sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian Territory, and undermine the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
The statement termed the decision a serious attempt at illegal settlement expansion and land grabbing.
Violation of international law, UN resolutions
The ministers affirmed that the measures constitute a flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention.
They also stated that the decision violates relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 2334.
In addition, the ministers pointed out that the move contradicts the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, which underscored the illegality of altering the legal, historical, and demographic status of the occupied Palestinian Territory and emphasized the prohibition on acquiring territory by force.
Threat to two-state solution
The joint statement warned that Israel’s decision reflects an attempt to impose a new legal and administrative reality to consolidate control over occupied land.
Such actions, the ministers said, undermine the two-state solution, erode prospects for an independent and viable Palestinian state, and jeopardize the chances of achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the region.
They further stressed that these unilateral measures represent a dangerous escalation that could heighten tensions and instability in the occupied Palestinian Territory and the wider region.
Call for decisive international action
The foreign ministers called upon the international community to assume its responsibilities and take clear and decisive steps to halt Israeli violations.
They urged global actors to ensure respect for international law and safeguard the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them the right to self-determination and an end to occupation.
The statement reiterated the demand for the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the lines of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The Foreign Office spokesperson confirmed the issuance of the joint statement, reaffirming Pakistan’s categorical rejection of unilateral actions aimed at altering the legal, demographic, and historical status of the occupied Palestinian Territory.
