AMMAN — The foreign ministers of 31 Arab and Islamic countries, along with the secretaries-general of the League of Arab States, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the Gulf Cooperation Council, issued a joint statement on Friday, condemning recent comments by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the so-called “greater Israel.”

 

In the statement, the leaders described Netanyahu’s comments, reported in Israeli media, as a “grave disregard for international law” and a “direct threat” to Arab national security and regional stability. They warned that such rhetoric undermines international peace and violates the United Nations Charter, particularly Article 2, which prohibits the use of force.

 

The ministers also strongly denounced Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich’s approval of a controversial settlement plan in the “E1” area near East Jerusalem and his remarks on “burying” the Palestinian state. The statement denounced the Israeli minister’s remarks as “racist” and in breach of international law and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, which deems settlement activity in occupied territories illegal.

 

The joint statement reaffirmed participating countries’ rejection of any Israeli sovereignty over occupied Palestinian territories and stressed their commitment to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

 

Condemning the continued expansion of settlements, violence by settlers, and Israeli incursions into Palestinian areas, the ministers warned of escalating risks to regional and international security. They accused Israel of targeting Islamic and Christian holy sites, particularly Al Aqsa Mosque.

 

The statement also called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the lifting of the Israeli blockade, accusing Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war. The ministers demanded unconditional humanitarian access, accountability for alleged war crimes, and international support for reconstruction and early recovery in Gaza under the framework of the Arab-Islamic plan.

 

They emphasised the need for the Palestinian Authority to assume full governance over both the West Bank and Gaza under the political umbrella of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), calling for a unified government, legal system, and security framework.

 

The joint communique urged the international community, particularly the United States and other permanent members of the UN Security Council, to intervene immediately to halt Israeli aggression, protect Palestinian civilians, and support efforts toward a just and lasting peace based on international legitimacy.