A group of 31 Arab and Islamic countries have strongly condemned the statements made by the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, regarding the so-called “Greater Israel,” according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Netanyahu sparked outrage across the Arab and Islamic world after Israeli media circulated remarks that he felt a “connection to the vision of Greater Israel,” a term that refers to an expanded Israel encompassing parts of several Arab territories.
Firm Stance
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of these nations called Netanyahu‘s remarks a “grave disregard for, and a blatant and dangerous violation of, the rules of international law and the foundations of stable international relations.”
They also said that these statements “constitute a direct threat to Arab national security, to the sovereignty of states, and to regional and international peace and security.”
Defending Arab Interests
Moreover, the foreign ministers said that they will “adopt all policies and measures that preserve peace, in a manner that serves the interests of all states and peoples in achieving security, stability, and development, away from illusions of domination and the imposition of power by force.”
Meanwhile, they stressed their respect for international legitimacy and the Charter of the United Nations, particularly Article 2, paragraph 4, which prohibits the use of force or the threat thereof.
The statement’s signatories include the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Gambia, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Türkiye, the UAE, and Yemen.
They also include the Secretaries-General of the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Rejecting Israeli Expansion
The foreign ministers reiterated their categorical rejection and condemnation of the settlement plan approved by the extremist Israeli Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, in the E1 area in the occupied West Bank, along with his radical racist statements rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Furthermore, they warned of the grave dangers of Israeli intentions and policies aimed at annexing Palestinian territory, which “directly fuel cycles of violence and conflict and undermine prospects for achieving just and comprehensive peace in the region.”
Condemning Israel’s Crimes
The ministers also stressed their rejection of “Israel’s crimes of aggression, genocide, and ethnic cleansing,” reiterating the need for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip while “ensuring unconditional humanitarian access to end the policy of systematic starvation that Israel is pursuing as a weapon of genocide.”
In the light of this, the statement called on the international community, most notably the permanent members of the UN Security Council and the US, to “assume their legal and moral responsibilities.”
They also demanded them to “compel Israel to halt its ongoing aggression against Gaza and its dangerous escalation in the West Bank, stop its officials’ incendiary rhetoric, and provide international protection for the Palestinian people.”
