OIC holds emergency meeting over Israel's 'de facto annexation' plans in West Bank
Foreign ministers gathered in Jeddah to coordinate response to Israeli policies and reaffirm support for Palestinian rights.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) convened an emergency meeting on Thursday at the level of foreign ministers to discuss Israel’s recent approval of a plan to claim large areas of the occupied West Bank as “state property,” which critics say amounts to de facto annexation, and its ongoing violations in Palestinian territories.
In a statement, the OIC said the Executive Committee meeting was held at the organisation’s headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia as part of high-level diplomatic engagements carried out in response to Israel’s annexation initiatives.
The meeting brought together numerous foreign ministers from member states along with ambassadors and diplomatic delegations.
Participants discussed steps towards establishing a unified stance and coordinated measures in response to Israeli violations.
The statement emphasised that the gathering was aimed at revitalising the international community to protect the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people while also highlighting concerns over Israeli practices viewed as threatening regional security.
Speaking during the session, Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed al Khereiji reiterated his country’s rejection of Israel’s actions in the occupied Palestinian territories, saying that such measures undermine peace and stability in the region.
“Israel’s attacks against Palestinian territories continue. Steps aimed at establishing so-called sovereignty over the West Bank are also sabotaging opportunities for peace. Saudi Arabia condemns and rejects all (illegal) settlement initiatives in the West Bank,” al-Khereiji said.
Determining Palestinians, favouring illegal settlers
Israel’s security cabinet adopted a series of decisions on February 8 that would alter the status quo in the West Bank in favour of the illegal Israeli settlers and to the detriment of Palestinians.
Among the measures were removing obstacles preventing illegal settlers from directly purchasing land, granting Israel authority to seize areas under the responsibility of the Palestinian administration under various pretexts, and stripping local governance powers in the Palestinian city of Hebron to establish an Israel-affiliated “parallel municipality.”
On February 15, the Israeli government also approved the launch of a unilateral “land registration process” in the occupied West Bank, a move seen as formalising the confiscation of Palestinian lands under international law.
According to international law, the West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, is recognised as territory designated for a future Palestinian state, and Israel is considered an occupying power there.
The transfer of an occupying power’s population into occupied territory and changes to property ownership structures are regarded as violations of international law.