Amman, Oct. 22 (Petra) – The Ministry of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs on Wednesday strongly condemned the Israeli Knesset’s preliminary approval of two draft laws, as the first seeks to impose Israeli sovereignty over the occupied West Bank, while the other aims to legitimize Israeli sovereignty over an illegal colonial settlement.

In a statement on Wednesday, the ministry called the approval a blatant violation of international law and a grave undermining of the two-state solution and of the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination and to establish their independent, sovereign state along the June 4, 1967 lines, with occupied Jerusalem as its capital. The ministry stressed that Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territories.

Ministry spokesperson Fuad Majali affirmed the Kingdom’s "absolute" rejection and strong condemnation of any Israeli attempts to impose sovereignty over the occupied West Bank, in flagrant violation of international law and United Nations Security Council resolutions particularly Resolution 2334, which denounces all Israeli measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character, and status of the occupied Palestinian territories since 1967, including East Jerusalem.

Majali also cited the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, which confirmed illegality of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land and the nullity of settlement construction and annexation measures in the occupied West Bank.

Majali warned against the continuation of Israel’s unilateral and unlawful policies that violate international law and relevant UN resolutions, reiterating that all Israeli actions in the occupied West Bank and its violations of Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied Jerusalem are illegal and null.

On the required action, he called on the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibilities, compel Israel to halt its dangerous escalation and illegal measures in the occupied West Bank, and uphold the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state on their national soil as the only path to achieving a just and comprehensive peace that ensures security and stability in the region.

//Petra// AO