Saudi Arabia, 7 countries condemn Ben-Gvir’s calls for forced Palestinian displacement, Gaza settlements

RIYADH — The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and seven other Arab and Muslim countries strongly condemned statements by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir regarding plans to forcibly displace Palestinians from their land and establish settlements in the Gaza Strip. In a statement issued on Sunday by the foreign ministries of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye, the ministers described Ben-Gvir’s remarks as provocative proposals that constitute a blatant violation of international law, including international humanitarian law, and a direct threat to the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. The ministers reaffirmed their categorical rejection and condemnation of any attempts or plans to displace the Palestinian people, individually or collectively, within or outside the occupied Palestinian territories, under any name or pretext. They warned of the serious consequences of turning calls for forced displacement into a declared policy or practical measures, describing such actions as a direct challenge to ongoing international efforts to achieve peace, foremost among them US President Donald Trump’s comprehensive plan to end the conflict in Gaza, which explicitly rejects forced displacement. The ministers said such actions also risk fueling further violence and instability in the region. They stressed that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territory and emphasized the need to halt all illegal settlement activities in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. According to the statement, the only path to achieving a just and lasting peace is through implementing the two-state solution and establishing an independent Palestinian state along the lines of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with relevant international resolutions. The ministers also called on the international community, particularly the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, to assume their legal and moral responsibilities and take a clear position rejecting such extremist calls. They concluded by urging serious and immediate action to prevent attempts to impose a new geographic or demographic reality on the ground and to ensure respect for international law. They also reaffirmed their full support for the Palestinian people’s steadfastness on their land and rejected all attempts to displace them or undermine their legitimate rights.RIYADH — The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and seven other Arab and Muslim countries strongly condemned statements by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir regarding plans to forcibly displace Palestinians from their land and establish settlements in the Gaza Strip. In a statement issued on Sunday by the foreign ministries of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye, the ministers described Ben-Gvir’s remarks as provocative proposals that constitute a blatant violation of international law, including international humanitarian law, and a direct threat to the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. The ministers reaffirmed their categorical rejection and condemnation of any attempts or plans to displace the Palestinian people, individually or collectively, within or outside the occupied Palestinian territories, under any name or pretext. They warned of the serious consequences of turning calls for forced displacement into a declared policy or practical measures, describing such actions as a direct challenge to ongoing international efforts to achieve peace, foremost among them US President Donald Trump’s comprehensive plan to end the conflict in Gaza, which explicitly rejects forced displacement. The ministers said such actions also risk fueling further violence and instability in the region. They stressed that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territory and emphasized the need to halt all illegal settlement activities in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. According to the statement, the only path to achieving a just and lasting peace is through implementing the two-state solution and establishing an independent Palestinian state along the lines of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with relevant international resolutions. The ministers also called on the international community, particularly the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, to assume their legal and moral responsibilities and take a clear position rejecting such extremist calls. They concluded by urging serious and immediate action to prevent attempts to impose a new geographic or demographic reality on the ground and to ensure respect for international law. They also reaffirmed their full support for the Palestinian people’s steadfastness on their land and rejected all attempts to displace them or undermine their legitimate rights.