Eight Arab and Islamic countries have condemned Israel's recent decision to classify occupied Palestinian territories as "state land," calling for strong international action against these violations.
On Tuesday, eight Arab and Islamic countries issued a joint statement denouncing Israel's recent decision regarded as a serious move to entrench control over occupied lands in the West Bank. This decision was made to facilitate the seizure of Palestinian lands, raising fresh concerns about the ongoing violations of Palestinian rights and international law. The countries called for a decisive international stance to halt such actions, asserting the illegality of Israel's classification process.
The concerned countries including Qatar, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt criticized Israel's approval of a resolution that permits the annexation of Palestinian lands in the West Bank by registering them as "state lands." This action marks the first time since 1967 that the Israeli government has taken such a step, suggesting that any land in Area C, as defined in the Oslo Accords, could be registered under Israeli ownership if the Palestinian landowner cannot prove ownership.
Israeli officials, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, presented this proposal to the government. The eight nations deemed this move as unlawful and reinforced their commitment to Palestinian rights, signaling a united front against what they perceive as further encroachments on Palestinian territories by Israel, demanding international intervention to address these developments.
