Joint Statement by the Foreign Ministers of 31 Arab and Islamic Countries and the Secretaries-General of the League of Arab States, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Gulf Cooperation Council

The Foreign Ministers of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, the Republic of Chad, the Union of the Comoros, the Republic of Djibouti, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of The Gambia, the Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iraq,  the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the State of Kuwait, the Republic of Lebanon, the State of Libya, the Republic of Maldives, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, the Kingdom of Morocco, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Sultanate of Oman, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the State of Palestine, the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Senegal, the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Republic of the Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Republic of Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Yemen and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council condemn in the strongest terms the statements made by Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel (the Occupying Power), which were circulated by Israeli media regarding the so-called “Greater Israel.” according to a Press Release  issued in Jeddah,Friday.

These statements,the Press Release noted,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 also constitute a direct threat to Arab national security, to the sovereignty of states, and to regional and international peace and security.

They stress that, while their states 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, they will adopt all policies and measures that preserve peace, in a manner that serves the interests of all states and peoples in achieving security, stability, and development, away from illusions of domination and the imposition of power by force.

They also 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 consider this to be 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 4 June 1967, with Occupied Jerusalem as its capital. They stress that Israel has no sovereignty over the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

They reaffirm 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, which condemns all 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.

They also reaffirm the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, 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.

They warn of the grave dangers of Israeli intentions and policies aimed at annexing Palestinian territory, and warn of the dangers of the continued expansionist settlement policy in the Occupied West Bank pursued by the extremist Israeli government, including attempts targeting Islamic and Christian Holy Sites, foremost among them Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif; settler terrorism; daily incursions into Palestinian cities, towns, and refugee camps; the systematic destruction of Palestinian refugee camps and the displacement of Palestinian civilians from their homes.

These actions directly fuel cycles of violence and conflict and undermine prospects for achieving just and comprehensive peace in the region. They also warn against reliance on ideological and racist delusions, which risk fueling the conflict in ways that are difficult to control or predict, thereby threatening both regional and international security and stability.

In a related context, they reiterate their rejection and condemnation of Israel’s crimes of aggression, genocide, and ethnic cleansing.

They reaffirm the need 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.

This requires the immediate lifting of Israel’s deadly blockade on the Strip, the opening of Israel’s crossings with Gaza, and holding Israel, as the Occupying Power, fully responsible for the consequences of its crimes in the Gaza Strip, including the collapse of the health and relief systems.

The Foreign Ministers also reiterate their unequivocal rejection of the displacement of the Palestinian people in any form and under any pretext, and call on the international community to exert pressure on Israel to end its aggression and to fully withdraw from the Gaza Strip, in preparation for enabling the creation of conditions conducive to the implementation of the Arab-Islamic plan for early recovery efforts and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

They reaffirm that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and emphasize 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, and within the political program of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and under a single governing authority, a single legal system, and a single legitimate weapon.

In this regard, they call 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, to stop the illusory and inciting statements made by its officials, and to provide international protection to the Palestinian people.

They further call 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.