Arab, international bloc condemns Israeli Knesset’s call for West Bank annexation

A group of Arab and international countries has jointly condemned the Israeli Knesset’s recent approval of a controversial declaration calling for the imposition of “Israeli sovereignty” over the occupied West Bank, denouncing the move as a grave violation of international law.

In a statement released and shared by the Saudi Foreign Ministry, twelve signatories—including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Nigeria, Palestine, Qatar, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, the League of Arab States, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)—rejected the symbolic vote passed by the Israeli parliament, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The statement described the declaration as a “blatant and unacceptable violation of international law, and a flagrant breach of relevant UN Security Council resolutions.”

The joint communique reaffirmed the position of the signatory countries that “Israel has no sovereignty over the Occupied Palestinian Territory, stressing that this unilateral Israeli move has no legal effect and cannot alter the legal status on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, foremost among it East Jerusalem.”

On July 23, more than 70 Israeli lawmakers approved a non-binding resolution urging the government to formally annex the West Bank—territory captured by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War and internationally recognized as occupied.

Though the vote does not carry the weight of law, it marks a significant political gesture by Israel’s right-wing leadership. The motion was supported by members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, along with some opposition lawmakers, signaling growing domestic support for permanent Israeli control over the West Bank.

Proponents of the resolution argued that such a step is necessary to assert Israel’s security and national identity, stating:

“Annexing the West Bank will strengthen the state of Israel, its security and prevent any questioning of the fundamental right of the Jewish people to peace and security in their homeland.”

The move drew immediate backlash from regional powers and the broader international community, many of whom view any unilateral annexation of Palestinian territory as a critical blow to the prospects of a negotiated two-state solution.

By Vafa Guliyeva