AMMAN — Jordan, along with 14 Arab and Islamic countries, on Thursday condemned in the strongest terms the Israeli Knesset’s approval of two bills to impose so-called “Israeli sovereignty” over the occupied West Bank and illegal Israeli settlements.

 

The move represents a blatant violation of international law and UN Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolution 2334, which condemns all Israeli measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character, and legal status of Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

 

The advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), issued on October 22, 2025, reaffirmed the illegality of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian lands and declared settlement construction and land annexation in the occupied West Bank null and void, emphasising that Israel holds no sovereignty over the occupied territories.

 

The ICJ also reiterated Israel’s obligations under international humanitarian law, including the prohibition of using starvation as a method of warfare, restrictions on the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip, and bans on forced mass transfer or displacement, including creating unbearable living conditions for the population.

 

The court reiterated the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state, noting that Israel’s claim of sovereignty over East Jerusalem has been deemed “null and void” by the UN Security Council, the statement read.

 

"This applies to legislation such as the so-called “Law to End UNRWA Operations in Israel,” which Israel claims includes East Jerusalem."

 

The Knesset’s approval of the two bills was condemned by Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Gambia, Palestine, Qatar, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Egypt, and Nigeria, as well as by the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

 

In a joint statement, these countries welcomed the ICJ’s advisory opinion, which reaffirmed Israel’s obligations to ensure that residents of the occupied Palestinian territories, including the Gaza Strip, have access to essential daily needs and that all relief efforts, particularly through the UN and UNRWA, are approved and facilitated.

 

The statement also warned against the continuation of Israel’s unilateral and illegal policies, urging the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibilities.

 

It also called on Israel to stop its dangerous escalation and unlawful measures in the occupied Palestinian territories and to uphold the Palestinian people’s legitimate right to establish an independent, sovereign state along the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, as the only path to a just and comprehensive peace ensuring regional security and stability.