Decisions taken by the Zionist entity to extend its control over the occupied West Bank, while blatantly revealing its expansionist ambitions, have sparked reactions of indignation both in the Muslim world and among Western countries.
The first reaction came from the State of Palestine, which immediately submitted an urgent request for an extraordinary session of the Council of the League of Arab States at the level of permanent representatives upon announcement of these decisions. This meeting should be held “as soon as possible” to discuss means of countering the occupier’s recent aggressive decisions, according to the permanent representative of the State of Palestine to the League, Ambassador Muhannad Al-Aklouk.
“These illegal decisions continue the generalized (Zionist) aggression against the Palestinian people, their land, holy sites, and property, and mark a deepening of annexation and expansion policies,” the diplomat emphasized.
For its part, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates urged the international community to act so that the occupier cancels these measures. The Zionist entity “holds no sovereignty over any city or territory of the occupied State of Palestine,” the ministry hammered in a statement.
It invited states and international institutions to “reject” and “condemn” the Zionist decisions, which “constitute a de facto annexation of Palestinian lands.”
The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas assured that the Zionist decisions aim to expand the war of extermination and alter geographical and legal realities on the ground.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem declared that the decisions taken by the Zionist entity “confirm its colonial program aimed at swallowing the entire Palestinian territory and displacing its native inhabitants, constituting a true existential danger.”
Reacting in turn, the president of the Arab Parliament, Mohammed Al-Yamahi, condemned these decisions, which he said constitute “a dangerous escalation” and a “flagrant violation” of international law.
This will to annex the West Bank “compromises any prospect of peace,” he affirmed, recalling that the occupier has no sovereignty over any part of the Palestinian territory.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), for its part, noted that the colonization policy constitutes a war crime and a flagrant violation of international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, particularly Security Council Resolution 2334, as well as the legal opinion issued by the International Court of Justice.
The Organization reiterated its call to the international community, particularly the Security Council, to assume its responsibilities and take immediate measures to end all crimes and violations perpetrated by the Zionist occupation against the Palestinian people, their land, and holy sites.
The European Union (EU) also “condemned” the measures taken by the Zionist entity, which it said constitute “a new step in the wrong direction.”
“In accordance with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, we recall that annexation is illegal under international law,” stated Anouar El Anouni, EU spokesperson, to the press. He stressed that the EU does not recognize the sovereignty of the Zionist entity over territories occupied since 1967.
Consequently, “any concrete measure taken in this direction will be considered a violation of international law,” he added.