LOC18:23
15:23 GMT
CAIRO, Oct 23 (KUNA) -- Egypt and a group of Arab and Islamic nations on Thursday condemned the Israeli Knesset's approval of two draft laws seeking to impose "sovereignty" over the entire occupied West Bank and illegal settlements built on its territory.
The condemnation came in a joint statement issued by Egypt's Foreign Ministry, Kuwait, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkiye, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Gambia, Palestine, Qatar, Libya, Malaysia, and Nigeria, along with the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
The statement said the move constitutes a blatant violation of international law and UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which denounces Israeli measures aimed at altering the character and legal status of the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem.
It also cited the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which affirmed the illegality of Israel's occupation and settlement construction in the occupied West Bank.
The statement reaffirmed that Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territories and welcomed the ICJ's advisory opinion issued on October 22, 2025, calling on Israel to comply with international humanitarian law and ensure the flow of humanitarian aid, especially through UN agencies including UNRWA.
The ICJ also reiterated the prohibition of starvation as a method of warfare and condemned Israel's obstruction of aid to Gaza, warning against forced displacement and unbearable living conditions for Palestinians.
The joint statement further underscored the Palestinian people's right to self determination and the establishment of an independent state on the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, while urging the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibilities and compel Israel to halt its unlawful actions.
It concluded that a just and comprehensive peace could only be achieved through realizing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.(end)
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