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Foreign ministers from 31 Arab and Islamic countries issued a joint statement on Friday condemning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statements regarding "Greater Israel" and Israeli settlement expansion policies, calling them violations of international law and threats to regional security.
The statement, released by foreign ministers from countries including Türkiye, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, also included condemnation from secretaries-general of the League of Arab States, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
The foreign ministers said Netanyahu's statements "represent a grave disregard for, and a blatant and dangerous violation of, the rules of international law and the foundations of stable international relations."
They described the remarks as "a direct threat to Arab national security, to the sovereignty of states, and to regional and international peace and security."
The joint declaration emphasized that participating nations "reaffirm their respect for international legitimacy and the Charter of the United Nations, particularly Article 2, paragraph 4, which prohibits the use of force or the threat thereof."
The ministers "strongly condemn the approval by the extremist Israeli Minister Bezalel Smotrich of the settlement plan in the 'E1' area, along with his radical racist statements rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state."
They characterized these actions as "a blatant violation of international law and a flagrant assault on the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to realize their independent, sovereign state on the lines of June 4, 1967, with Occupied Jerusalem as its capital."
The statement stressed that "Israel has no sovereignty over the Occupied Palestinian Territory."
The foreign ministers reaffirmed their "absolute rejection and condemnation of this settlement plan and of all illegal Israeli measures that constitute a flagrant breach of international law and of Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolution 2334."
Resolution 2334 condemns Israeli settlement activities "aimed at altering the demographic composition, character, and legal status of the Occupied Palestinian Territory since 1967, including East Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Palestine."
The ministers also referenced "the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which emphasized the illegality of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory and underscored the need to end it immediately, to remove its consequences, and to provide reparations for the damages caused."
Regarding the Gaza Strip, the ministers "reiterate their rejection and condemnation of Israel's crimes of aggression, genocide, and ethnic cleansing."
They called for "a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, along with ensuring unconditional humanitarian access to end the policy of systematic starvation that Israel is pursuing as a weapon of genocide."
The statement demanded "the immediate lifting of Israel's deadly blockade on the Strip, the opening of Israel's crossings with Gaza," and holding Israel "fully responsible for the consequences of its crimes in the Gaza Strip, including the collapse of the health and relief systems."
The ministers emphasized that "the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory" and stressed "the need for the State of Palestine to assume governance responsibilities in the Gaza Strip as in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, with Arab and international support."
They called on "the international community, especially the permanent members of the Security Council, particularly the United States of America, to shoulder their legal and moral responsibilities and to take immediate action to compel Israel to halt its ongoing aggression against the Gaza Strip and its dangerous escalation in the Occupied West Bank."
The statement concluded by calling for "enabling the Palestinian people to obtain their legitimate rights, foremost among them the right to establish their independent sovereign state on their national soil, and for holding accountable those responsible for crimes and violations against the Palestinian people."
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