Fifteen nations blast Israeli annexation bills on West Bank

A group of 15 Muslim and Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, have condemned two Israeli annexation bills calling for the incorporation of the occupied West Bank.

The countries issued a joint statement on the matter, Caliber.Az reports via the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

“Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Djibouti, Oman, The Gambia, Palestine, Qatar, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Egypt, Nigeria, the Arab League, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation strongly condemn the Israeli Knesset’s adoption of these bills,” the statement said.

The countries denounced the move as “a blatant violation of international law.”

On October 22, the Knesset voted to advance two annexation bills that would effectively incorporate parts of the West Bank — Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967. The move coincided with visits by US Vice President J.D. Vance on October 22 and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on October 23.

US officials warned that the proposed legislation risks undermining efforts to strengthen the fragile cease-fire in the Gaza Strip following two years of devastating conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The condemnation comes amid growing diplomatic tensions between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Just a day earlier, on October 23, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich had sparked outrage with remarks rejecting any potential normalisation deal with Riyadh that would involve the creation of a Palestinian state.

Smotrich said he would not support a normalisation agreement with Saudi Arabia if it entailed establishing a Palestinian state.

“If Saudi Arabia tells us ‘normalisation in exchange for a Palestinian state,’ friends — no thank you. Keep riding camels in the desert in Saudi Arabia, and we will continue to develop with the economy, society and state and the great things that we know how to do,” Smotrich emphasised at a conference titled Halacha in the Technological Era.

The remarks drew swift condemnation from Israeli opposition figures, who accused Smotrich of ignorance and damaging Israel’s diplomatic interests. 

By Jeyhun Aghazada