LOC00:53
21:53 GMT
CAIRO, Feb 23 (KUNA) -- Fifteen countries condemned on Monday, in the strongest terms, the recent Israeli occupation decisions aiming to expand control over the West Bank.
This came in a joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of the fifteen countries, - Egypt, France, Denmark, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Luxembourg, Palestine, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Spain, and Turkiye - and the secretaries-general of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
In their statement, published by Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the foreign ministers affirmed that the illegal Israeli settlements and decisions legalize them flagrantly violate the international law, the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice.
They pointed out that the Israeli decisions encompass a wide range of actions, from reclassifying Palestinian land as so-called "Israeli state land" to accelerating illegal settlement activity and further entrenching the Israeli administration.
These recent decisions are part of a clear course of action aimed at altering the reality on the ground and moving towards an unacceptable de facto annexation, the ministers stated.
They warned that the Israeli practices undermine ongoing efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region, including the 20-point US plan on Gaza, and threaten any genuine prospect for regional integration.
The signatories called on the Israeli occupation government to immediately reverse these decisions, respect its international obligations, and refrain from taking any measures that would permanently alter the legal and administrative status of the occupied Palestinian territory.
They said that these decisions follow an unprecedented acceleration of Israeli settlement policy, including the approval of the E1 project and the publication of its tenders.
The ministers cautioned that these actions constitute a direct and deliberate attack on the foundations for a Palestinian state and the implementation of the two-state solution.
They reiterated the rejection of all measures aimed at changing the demographic composition, character, and legal status of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, and opposed any form of annexation.
They called on the Israeli occupation to put an end to settler violence against Palestinians, and to hold those responsible for the previous attacks accountable.
They reaffirmed the commitment to taking concrete steps, in accordance with international law, to counter the expansion of illegal settlements in the Palestinian territory and the policies and threats of forced displacement and annexation.
The ministers emphasized the importance of preserving the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its holy sites and recognizing the special role of the historic Hashemite custodianship in this regard.
They condemned the repeated violations of the status quo in Jerusalem, which constitute a threat to regional stability.
They called on the Israeli occupation to immediately release the withheld tax revenues owed to the Palestinian Authority, stressing the necessity of transferring these revenues to the Palestinian Authority in accordance with the Paris Protocol.
The ministers reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to achieving a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace in the Middle East based on the two-state solution, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and the relevant UN resolutions, and on the basis of the June 4, 1967 lines.
They stressed that coexistence among the peoples and states of the region can only be achieved through the establishment of an independent, sovereign, and democratic Palestinian state.
They underlined that ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is essential for achieving peace, stability, and regional integration, as stated in the New York Declaration. (end)
asm.ibi