Arab League, OIC countries reject 'Israeli sovereignty' over West Bank

More than a dozen countries, including the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, have jointly condemned the Israeli parliament's approval of "Israeli sovereignty" over the occupied West Bank, which could complicate prospects of a two-state solution.

The Israeli Knesset voted 71-13 for a non-binding motion in favor of annexing the West Bank on Wednesday, declaring that the West Bank, which Israel refers to as "Judea and Samaria" is "an inseparable part" of Israel and called for "applying Israeli sovereignty to Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley".

It said annexing the West Bank would strengthen the state of Israel, its security and prevent any questioning of the fundamental right of the Jewish people's peace and security in their homeland. The motion was declarative and has no direct legal implications, but it could place the annexation issue of future debates in the Israeli parliament.

In a joint statement published on July 24 by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which also acknowledged, Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Nigeria, Palestine, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Turkiye, the League of Arab States and the OIC, the group said it considered the Israeli move a "blatant and unacceptable violation of international law and a flagrant breach of relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions".

"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 of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, foremost among it East Jerusalem, which remains an integral part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory," the statement said.

"They also emphasize that such Israeli actions only fuel the growing tension in the region, which has been exacerbated by the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and the resulting humanitarian catastrophe," it added.

The countries call on the international community, including the UN Security Council and all relevant actors to shoulder their legal and moral responsibilities and "to act to halt Israel's illegal policies aimed at imposing a fait accompli by force, undermining the prospects for a just and lasting peace, and the prospects of the two-state solution".

The group reiterated their commitment to the two-state solution based on the Arab Peace Initiative, and to the realization of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital.

"The Israeli Knesset's decision is proof of the failure of any international wagers on Israel's willingness to engage with the two-state solution," said the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in a statement posted on its X account.

"What is required now is for the international community to impose peace on the occupying power in accordance with international legitimacy and UN resolutions," it added.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement called Israeli parliament's non-binding vote on the annexation of the occupied West Bank a "dangerous escalation", Al Jazeera reported.

In a statement published on Telegram, the group said the move was a "clear disregard for the international community" and a way for Israel to implement "its criminal plans targeting the land of Palestine and its people".