Muslim and European states denounce Israeli land measures in West Bank

WEB DESK: A coalition of Muslim and European countries, including Pakistan, has strongly criticised recent Israeli measures in the occupied West Bank, describing them as steps towards “unacceptable de facto annexation” of Palestinian land.

In a joint statement, 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, alongside the League of Arab States and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, said Israel’s latest decisions to classify large tracts of West Bank land as “state property” were sweeping in scope.

The statement said such actions would accelerate settlement expansion and further entrench Israeli administrative control in the occupied territory.

Concerns over legal status and settlement expansion

Earlier this month, the Israeli government approved a plan to formally register extensive areas of the West Bank as state land for the first time since the territory came under Israeli occupation in 1967. Under international law, an occupying power is prohibited from confiscating land in occupied territory.

According to the joint statement, the measures would expand Israeli civilian authority in Areas A and B, which together make up around 40 per cent of the West Bank and represent a deliberate attempt to alter realities on the ground.

The signatories said Israeli settlements and policies designed to advance them constitute a clear breach of international law, including United Nations Security Council resolutions and the 2024 advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice. They warned that such steps undermine prospects for regional integration and jeopardise the viability of a two-state solution.

The countries called on Israel to immediately reverse the decisions, uphold its international obligations and refrain from actions that would permanently change the legal and administrative character of the occupied Palestinian territory.

Regional and Palestinian reactions

The joint statement also urged Israel to halt settler violence and ensure accountability, while reaffirming the signatories’ commitment to taking concrete steps, in line with international law, to counter settlement expansion and any policies involving forcible displacement or annexation.

The countries stressed the need to preserve the historic and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its holy sites during Ramazan, recognising the Hashemite custodianship role. They condemned what they described as repeated violations in Jerusalem, warning that such actions threaten regional stability.

Separately, the Palestinian Presidency described the Israeli decision as a serious escalation, saying it effectively nullifies prior agreements and contravenes UN Security Council resolutions, according to Wafa news agency. Hamas also denounced the move, calling it an attempt to appropriate land in the West Bank by designating it as state property.

Much of Palestinian land in the West Bank remains unregistered, as the land registration process considered lengthy and complex, was halted after 1967. Formal registration confers permanent ownership, making the latest measures particularly consequential.