New York – Eighty-five United Nations member states, including France, China, Saudi Arabia, and Russia, strongly condemned Israel’s adoption of new measures aimed at expanding its presence in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, February 17th. The joint statement reaffirmed “firm opposition to any form of annexation,” according to reports from the UN headquarters in New York.
The Israeli government, on Sunday, February 16th, announced it would accelerate the process of land registration in the West Bank, territory occupied since 1967, following the approval of a measure the previous week designed to ease land purchases by settlers. The new initiative allocates 244 million shekels (approximately 67 million euros) to regularize land titles in Area C, which constitutes roughly 60% of the West Bank and falls under Israeli control, as detailed by the Israeli NGO Peace Now.
“We firmly condemn the Israeli unilateral decisions and measures aimed at expanding Israel’s illegal presence in the occupied West Bank. These decisions are contrary to Israel’s obligations under international law and must be immediately reversed,” the 85 nations declared, with the European Union and the Arab League also voicing their opposition.
The statement further reiterated a rejection of “all measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem.” These actions, the countries asserted, violate international law, undermine peace efforts, and jeopardize the possibility of a lasting peace agreement.
The United Nations, several Arab nations, and the EU had already denounced the measures on Monday, February 16th. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres specifically called on Israel to “immediately reverse” the steps, characterizing them as not only destabilizing but also “illegal” as affirmed by the International Court of Justice.
The EU echoed this sentiment, reiterating that “annexation is illegal under international law.” Jordan’s King Abdullah II condemned the actions as “illegal steps” intended to impose Israeli sovereignty over Palestinian lands and warned of escalating the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Palestinian Authority “strongly condemned” the decision adopted on Sunday, rejecting “any attempt to designate lands in the West Bank as ‘state lands’ under the control of the occupation force.” The Authority deemed the measures “legally invalid” and representing a *de facto* commencement of annexation proceedings.
Colonization has continued under all Israeli governments since 1967, with a marked intensification under the current administration of Benjamin Netanyahu, particularly since the start of the conflict in Gaza on October 7th, 2023. More than 500,000 Israelis currently reside in settlements in the West Bank, excluding East Jerusalem, which Israel occupies and has annexed – settlements the UN considers illegal under international law, alongside approximately three million Palestinians.
