Palestinians walk along a street near war-damaged buildings in Gaza City. (photo: AFP)
In a joint statement issued Sunday, the ministers described Netanyahu’s comments as a dangerous violation of international law and a direct threat to regional security, a blatant disregard for international norms and a provocation that undermines Arab national security, state sovereignty, and global stability.
The bloc reaffirmed its commitment to the United Nations (UN) Charter, citing Article 2(4), which prohibits “the use or threat of force against territorial integrity.”
Signatories included Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Algeria, Turkey, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Palestine, alongside the Secretaries-General of the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
The condemnation followed Netanyahu’s interview with Israeli channel i24NEWS, where he said he was “very much attached to the vision of Greater Israel,” describing himself as being on a “historic and spiritual mission.”
The statement also denounced Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s approval of a controversial settlement plan in the “E1” area.
Smotrich’s office announced Thursday the construction of 3,401 housing units between Jerusalem and an existing West Bank settlement, under the title “Burying the idea of a Palestinian state.”
The Arab-Islamic bloc called the plan a flagrant violation of international law and an attack on the Palestinian right to an independent state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The ministers warned of “catastrophic consequences” if Israel presses ahead with annexation and settlement expansion, citing threats to Islamic and Christian holy sites, foremost among them Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Such actions, they said, “directly fuel cycles of violence and conflict and undermine prospects for achieving just and comprehensive peace in the region.”
On Gaza, the statement reiterated its condemnation of Israel’s “genocide crimes and ethnic cleansing,” calling for an immediate ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian access, the lifting of the blockade, and Arab–Islamic–led reconstruction efforts, while rejecting any post-war scenarios that exclude the Palestinian Authority (PA).
“This requires the immediate opening of Israel’s crossings with Gaza, and holding Israel, as the Occupying Power, fully responsible for the consequences of its crimes, including the collapse of the health and relief systems,” it read.
The ministers urged the international community, particularly the UN Security Council and the United States, to compel Israel to halt its genocide, stop “illusory and inciting statements,” and provide international protection for Palestinians.
They further called for enabling Palestinians to exercise their “legitimate rights, foremost among them the right to establish their independent sovereign state on their national soil.”
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