Shafaq News- Baghdad

Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkiye on Monday condemned the Israeli measures to register land ownership in the occupied West Bank, warning that it paves the way for seizing large areas of land.

In a joint statement, the eight countries said the measures aim to impose a new legal framework that would consolidate control over occupied land and undermine the two-state solution. They also reiterated their rejection of “the unilateral Israeli measures aimed at altering the legal and demographic status of the Palestinian territories.”

Last week, Israeli authorities began registering and settling land ownership in the West Bank —the first such process since 1967. The government also approved measures easing land purchases by Jews in the territory after repealing a previous restriction.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry defended the policy saying the measures are intended to “regulate property registration procedures” and resolve legal disputes as part of organizing land ownership in the area.

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Israel to “immediately reverse” the measures, describing them as destabilizing and illegal under international law, citing the International Court of Justice.

The European Union also reiterated that the annexation of the West Bank would violate international law.