A group of Arab and international countries issued a joint statement on Thursday condemning the Israeli Knesset’s approval of a declaration calling for the imposition of “so-called Israeli sovereignty” over the occupied West Bank.
The statement was issued by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Nigeria, Palestine, Qatar, Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates, the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
The parties consider this move a “blatant and unacceptable violation of international law, and a flagrant breach of relevant UN Security Council resolutions,” the statement which was shared by the Saudi foreign ministry read.
“The above-mentioned parties reaffirm 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.”
More than 70 Israeli lawmakers passed a motion on Wednesday urging the government to impose sovereignty over the West Bank, though the symbolic move does not affect the Palestinian territory’s legal status.
The non-binding vote in Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, was backed by members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition, as well as some opposition lawmakers.
The lawmakers said that 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.”