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Pakistan, Seven Other Muslim Nations Warn Israel Against West Bank Annexation
Pakistan and seven other Muslim countries have warned against Israel’s “expansionist policies” in the occupied West Bank, condemning settlement expansion as illegal and a threat to the two-state solution.
ND
by News Desk
2026-02-09
Pakistan, Seven Other Muslim Nations Warn Israel Against West Bank Annexation

Eight Muslim countries, including Pakistan, on Monday issued a joint warning against what they described as the “continued expansionist Israeli policies” in the occupied West Bank, condemning recent Israeli measures as illegal under international law.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Indonesia, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Qatar “condemned in the strongest terms the illegal Israeli decisions and measures aimed at imposing unlawful Israeli sovereignty, entrenching settlement activity, and enforcing a new legal and administrative reality in the occupied West Bank”.

The ministers warned that these steps were accelerating efforts toward the illegal annexation of Palestinian land and the displacement of the Palestinian people.

The statement was issued a day after Israel’s security cabinet approved a series of measures that would ease land purchases by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank while expanding enforcement powers of Israeli authorities over Palestinians, according to Israeli media reports.

Israeli news outlets Ynet and Haaretz, citing remarks by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defence Minister Israel Katz, reported that the measures included scrapping decades-old regulations that prevented Jewish private citizens from purchasing land in the West Bank.

Reaffirming their position, the eight Muslim countries stated that “Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory”.

“The ministers warned against the continued expansionist Israeli policies and illegal measures pursued by the Israeli government in the occupied West Bank, which fuel violence and conflict in the region,” the statement said.

The foreign ministers expressed their “absolute rejection” of Israel’s actions, maintaining that these measures constitute a “blatant violation of international law”, undermine the two-state solution, and amount to an assault on the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to establish an independent and sovereign state.

“Such actions also undermine the ongoing efforts for peace and stability in the region,” the statement added.

The ministers further stressed that these measures were “null and void” and violated United Nations Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolution 2334, which condemns Israeli actions aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of Palestinian territory occupied since 1967.

In this context, the ministers recalled the 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which declared Israel’s continued presence and policies in the occupied Palestinian territory illegal and affirmed the need to end the occupation and invalidate the annexation of Palestinian lands.

Calling for global action, the ministers urged the international community to “fulfil its legal and moral responsibilities” and compel Israel to halt what they termed a dangerous escalation in the West Bank, including inciting statements by Israeli officials.

They emphasised that the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and statehood must be fulfilled, underscoring that Palestinian statehood should be based on the two-state solution, in line with international resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.

The ministers said the two-state framework “remains the only path to achieving just and comprehensive peace that ensures security and stability in the region”.

Notably, the same eight countries had previously worked with the administration of US President Donald Trump on a plan aimed at ending Israel’s war and invasion in Gaza. Earlier this month, the group also condemned repeated Israeli violations of the Gaza ceasefire, warning that such actions risk undermining regional and international efforts to advance the second phase of the proposed peace plan.
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