Arab and Muslim States Unite at UN Against Israel’s Expanded West Bank Control
In a powerful display of diplomatic unity, Arab and Muslim states issued a firm collective rebuke at the United Nations on Tuesday against Israel’s newly approved measures to expand its control over the occupied West Bank. The nations warned that the steps represent a dangerous push toward illegal annexation and threaten to ignite broader regional conflict.
The condemnation followed Sunday’s decision by Israel’s Security Cabinet to enact rules strengthening Israeli authority in the territory, easing land purchases for settlers, and enhancing enforcement powers over Palestinians.
A Strong and Unified Voice
Speaking on behalf of the UN’s Arab Group, Syrian Ambassador Ibrahim Olabi declared the measures an attempt to impose “unlawful Israeli sovereignty” over occupied Palestinian land. He addressed reporters outside the Security Council flanked by dozens of representatives from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League.
“The Arab Group condemns in the strongest terms the illegal Israeli decisions and measures aimed at imposing unlawful Israeli sovereignty, entrenching settlement activities, and imposing a new legal and administrative reality in the occupied West Bank,” Olabi stated. He emphasized that “Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory.”
Violations of Law and Threats to Peace
The envoy stressed that the moves constitute a “flagrant violation of international law” and a direct assault on the Palestinian right to self-determination and statehood based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. He argued that these policies systematically undermine the two-state solution and ongoing peace efforts.
The group called the Israeli decisions “null and void,” citing violations of multiple UN Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 2334, which condemns Israeli settlement activity. They also referenced the 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, which found Israel’s continued occupation to be unlawful and called for its end.
Calls for International Action
The coalition urged the international community to “assume its legal and moral responsibilities” by compelling Israel to halt its escalation, reverse the new policies, and cease inflammatory statements. They welcomed UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s Monday statement, which reaffirmed the illegality of settlements and called for a reversal of measures undermining the two-state solution.
Simultaneously, the Palestinian ambassador to the UN submitted a formal letter to the Security Council accusing Israel of “grave breaches of international law.” The letter urged the Council to ensure respect for its own resolutions and to hold Israel accountable, suggesting the international community is “duty bound” to consider measures, including sanctions, to compel compliance.
A Regional Warning
Beyond legal arguments, the Arab Group framed Israel’s actions as a direct threat to regional security. They warned that “expansionist policies and illegal measures” are fueling violence and instability far beyond the West Bank.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation echoed this condemnation, stating that the Israeli Cabinet’s decisions aim at “imposing a new reality through colonization and altering the legal status of the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem.”
This unified front at the United Nations highlights growing international alarm over the trajectory of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It signals a concerted push by Arab and Muslim states to marshal diplomatic and legal pressure in what they describe as a critical moment to prevent further annexation and preserve the possibility of a future peace.
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