Amman, Feb 23 (Petra) - The foreign ministers of Jordan and several Arab and friendly countries issued a joint statement in which they strongly condemned a series of recent Israeli decisions aimed at expanding the scope of Israel’s illegal control over the occupied Palestinian territory, affirming that these measures represent a flagrant violation of international law and relevant United Nations resolutions and undermine prospects for achieving a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution.

The following is the text of the statement: "We, the Foreign Ministers of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Federative Republic of Brazil, the French Republic, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Republic of Finland, the Republic of Iceland, the Republic of Indonesia, Ireland, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Kingdom of Norway, the State of Palestine, the Portuguese Republic, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Slovenia, the Kingdom of Spain, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Republic of Türkiye, and the Secretary Generals of the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, condemn in the strongest terms a series of recent Israeli decisions that introduce sweeping extensions to unlawful Israeli control over the West Bank. Changes are wide-ranging, reclassifying Palestinian land as so-called Israeli ‘state land’, accelerating illegal settlement activity, and further entrenching Israeli administration. We are clear that Israel’s illegal settlements and decisions designed to further them are a flagrant violation of international law, including previous United Nations Security Council Resolutions and the 2024 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice. These latest decisions are part of a clear trajectory that aims to change the reality on the ground and to advance unacceptable de facto annexation. They also undermine the ongoing efforts for peace and stability in the region, including the 20 Point Plan for Gaza, and threaten any meaningful prospect of regional integration. We call on the Government of Israel to reverse them immediately, to respect its international obligations, and to refrain from actions that would result in permanent changes to the legal and administrative status of the occupied Palestinian Territory. These decisions follow the unprecedented acceleration of Israel’s settlement policy, with the approval of the E1 project and the publication of its tender. Such actions are a deliberate and direct attack on the viability of the Palestinian State and the implementation of the two-State Solution. In that context, we reiterate our rejection of all measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem. We oppose any form of annexation. In view of the alarming escalation in the West Bank, we also call on Israel to put an end to settler violence against Palestinians, including by holding those responsible accountable.

We reaffirm our 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.

In the Holy Month of Ramadan, we also stress 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 in this regard. We condemn repeated violations of the status quo in Jerusalem, which constitute a threat to regional stability. The Ministers call for the immediate release by Israel of the withheld tax revenues due to the Palestinian Authority. Those revenues must be transferred to the Palestinian Authority, according to the Paris Protocol, and they are vital for the provision of basic services for the Palestinian population in Gaza and in the West Bank.

We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East on the basis of 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. Only by realizing an independent, sovereign and democratic Palestinian State can coexistence among the region’s peoples and states be achieved.

//Petra// AF