UN: 80 Countries Denounce Expansion of Zionist Entity’s Illegal Presence in Occupied West Bank

More than 80 United Nations member states and a number of international organizations on Tuesday denounced unilateral Zionist decisions to expand an illegal presence in the occupied West Bank.

Speaking at a press conference at UN headquarters in New York, Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour said: “I have the honor of delivering the following statement on behalf of 80 states and a number of organizations regarding the latest Zionist decisions on the occupied West Bank.” “We strongly condemn Zionist’s unilateral decisions and actions aimed at expanding its illegal presence in the West Bank. Such decisions run counter to Zionist’s obligations under international law and must be reversed immediately,” he said, stressing “our firm opposition to any form of annexation.” The group reaffirmed its rejection of “all measures seeking to change the demographic composition, character and status of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East al-Quds.” “Such measures violate international law, undermine ongoing efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region, work against the Comprehensive Plan and jeopardize the prospect of reaching a peace agreement that would bring the conflict to an end,” the statement said.

The countries and organizations also reaffirmed their commitment, as enshrined in the New York Declaration, “to take concrete steps, consistent with international law,” and in accordance with relevant UN resolutions and the ICJ’s advisory opinion of July 2024, which ruled Zionist’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the withdrawal from all settlements in the West Bank and East al-Quds.

The statement stressed that a “just and lasting peace,” grounded in relevant UN resolutions, the Madrid terms of reference, the land-for-peace principle and the Arab Peace Initiative, “remains the only way to ensure security and stability in the region.” The Zionist government approved a proposal in February to register large swathes of the West Bank as “state property,” the first time it has done so since the Zionist entity occupied the territory in 1967.

Palestinians warn that Zionist actions are laying the groundwork for the formal annexation of the occupied West Bank, which they say would effectively extinguish any prospect of a Palestinian state as envisioned under United Nations resolutions.