Ankara: Fifteen countries, including Trkiye, along with the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), have condemned Israel's approval of draft laws imposing "Israeli sovereignty" over the West Bank in a joint statement.
According to Anadolu Agency, a joint written statement was released by Trkiye, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Djibouti, Oman, Gambia, Palestine, Qatar, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Egypt, Nigeria, the Arab League, and the OIC. The statement addresses Israel's approval of two draft laws imposing its "sovereignty" over the occupied West Bank and its settlements, calling it a violation of international law, particularly UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which opposes changes to the demographic structure and status of the occupied Palestinian territories since 1967.
The statement welcomed the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legal consequences of the construction of a wall in the occupied Palestinian territory. The ICJ reaffirmed Israel's obligations under international humanitarian law to provide basic needs for people in these territories and facilitate humanitarian aid, emphasizing the role of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and other UN bodies.
The ICJ also reminded Israel of its obligation to respect the prohibition against using starvation as a method of warfare, especially concerning aid restrictions to Gaza. It reiterated the prohibition of forced displacement and deportation and reaffirmed the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state. The UN Security Council has declared Israel's territorial claims over East Jerusalem "null and void."
The statement criticized the Israeli draft "Law on Halting UNRWA Activities in Israeli State Lands," which aims to include East Jerusalem. It urged the international community to compel Israel to halt its actions in the occupied Palestinian territories and emphasized that supporting the Palestinian right to establish an independent state based on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, is vital for peace, security, and stability in the region.