The communique was co-signed by the Foreign Ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Turkey, Brazil, France, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Slovenia, Sweden, Palestine, Indonesia, and the Secretaries-General of the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
The foreign ministers said the measures, reclassifying Palestinian land as so-called Israeli “state land,” accelerating settlement activity, and further entrenching Israeli administration, constitute sweeping extensions of Israeli authority in occupied territory in violation of international law.
The statement comes amid heightened tensions in the West Bank and follows Israel’s approval of the E1 settlement project. The publication of its tender, the ministers said, threatens the viability of the Palestinian state and undermines efforts to advance a political process based on the two-state solution.
The ministers said Israel’s illegal settlements, and decisions designed to further them, are a “flagrant violation” of international law, including United Nations Security Council resolutions and the 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice.
They described the latest decisions as part of a clear trajectory aimed at changing the reality on the ground and advancing what they called unacceptable de facto annexation.
“These latest decisions are part of a clear trajectory that aims to change the reality on the ground,” the statement said, warning that they also undermine ongoing efforts for peace and stability in the region, including the 20-Point Plan for Gaza, and threaten any meaningful prospect of regional integration.
The ministers called on the Israeli government to reverse the decisions immediately, respect its international obligations, and refrain from actions that would result in permanent changes to the legal and administrative status of the occupied Palestinian territory.
They reiterated their rejection of all measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character, and status of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, and expressed opposition to any form of annexation.
In view of what they described as an alarming escalation in the West Bank, the ministers also urged Israel to put an end to settler violence against Palestinians and to hold those responsible accountable.
The statement reaffirmed the signatories’ commitment to taking concrete steps, in accordance with international law, to counter the expansion of illegal settlements in Palestinian territory and policies and threats of forcible displacement and annexation.
Marking the holy month of Ramadan, the ministers stressed the importance of preserving the historic and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its holy sites, recognizing the special role of the historic Hashemite custodianship. They condemned repeated violations of the status quo in Jerusalem, saying such actions constitute a threat to regional stability.
The ministers also called for the immediate release by Israel of withheld tax revenues due to the Palestinian Authority, stressing that the funds, owed under the Paris Protocol, are vital for the provision of basic services for the Palestinian population in Gaza and the West Bank.
Reaffirming their unwavering commitment to achieving a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace in the Middle East, the ministers said any resolution must be based on the two-state solution, in line with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant UN resolutions, based on the 4 June 1967 lines.
“As reflected in the New York Declaration, the end of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is imperative for regional peace, stability, and integration,” affirmed the statement, adding that only by realizing an independent, sovereign, and democratic Palestinian state can coexistence among the region’s peoples and states be achieved.
Tensions in the West Bank have intensified in recent months amid what international observers describe as a marked acceleration in Israeli settlement policy. Israeli authorities have expanded the reclassification of Palestinian land as so-called “state land,” a legal mechanism used to facilitate settlement construction and infrastructure projects.
A focal point of recent controversy has been the advancement of the E1 settlement project east of Jerusalem, which would link the Ma’ale Adumim settlement bloc to East Jerusalem.
Under international law, Israeli settlements in the territory occupied since 1967 are considered illegal. United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016) reaffirmed that settlements have “no legal validity” and constitute a “flagrant violation” of international law.
In 2024, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion reaffirming that the Israeli prolonged occupation and settlement expansion violate international law.
Settlement expansion has also coincided with a rise in settler violence against Palestinians in parts of the West Bank, prompting repeated calls from the United Nations and European governments for accountability and restraint.
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