'Israel's' approval of West Bank land grab bills sparks fury, rebuke
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Hamas, Fatah, and regional countries condemn the Knesset's "annexation" bill, calling it a violation of international law and an attempt at Israeli settlement expansion.
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Palestinians fly their flags during a rally in support of Gaza and celebrating the latest recognitions of the Palestinian state ahead of the United Nations General Assembly meetings, West Bank, Ramallah, occupied Palestine, Sept. 23, 2025 (AP)
Condemnations have poured in after the Israeli Knesset approved a preliminary reading for two bills, which would impose Israeli "sovereignty" over the West Bank.
In a public statement issued this Wednesday, the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, characterized the Israeli Knesset's preliminary approval of the two bills to "annex" the West Bank and impose Israeli "sovereignty" over the settlement known as Ma'ale Adumim as a "clear expression of the ugly face of the colonial occupation."
Hamas added that the occupation is insisting on proceeding with its attempts to legalize settlement activity and impose Israeli "sovereignty" over occupied Palestinian lands, constituting a blatant violation of all pertinent international laws and resolutions.
"Frenzied attempts by the occupation to annex West Bank lands are null, void, and illegitimate and will not change the fact that the West Bank is Palestinian land by virtue of history, international law, and the 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice," Hamas affirmed.
Hamas calls on the international community to act
Additionally, the movement held the occupation responsible for the consequences of these laws, which it described as illegitimate, calling on the United Nations, the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to condemn this move.
Furthermore, it urged these bodies to work toward curbing the occupation's policies and ensuring accountability for its leaders for their crimes against the Palestinian people and their flagrant violations of international law.
Meanwhile, Fatah stated that the Knesset's preliminary approval of the West Bank annexation bill will not alter historical and legal facts nor will it erase the rights of our people.
Resistance Committees condemn Israeli 'sovereignty' bill
Following the Israeli Knesset's preliminary vote to impose its "sovereignty" over areas of the West Bank, the Palestinian Resistance Committees issued a condemnation, labeling the legislation as part of a broader pattern of genocide and forced displacement.
The statement directly links the expansionist policies in the West Bank with the ongoing war on Gaza, presenting them as facets of a single, systematic effort against Palestinians.
The Committees asserted that the West Bank, al-Quds, and all occupied land are purely Palestinian territory where the Israeli occupier has no sovereignty and that their people will remain steadfast, holding fast to their right to the land, deeply rooted in it, and defending it by all available means.
The statement pointed out that the horrific practices and systematic crimes carried out by settler militias under the protection of the Israeli army and with incitement from the fascist Netanyahu government will neither achieve their dream of "annexation" and control nor succeed in imposing a policy of forced displacement and expanding settlement outposts.
The statement issued a dual call for action, urging the Palestinian Authority to fulfill its duty to protect Palestinians in the West Bank from escalating settler violence, while also appealing to international communities to intensify their protests and demonstrations to hold "Israel" accountable for its actions across the occupied territories.
Concluding their statement, the Committees called on Palestinians to intensify resistance through all available means to thwart Israeli plans for "annexation" and displacement.
Palestinian Foreign Ministry rejects Israeli 'annexation' bill
On its part, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the Knesset's vote in a statement, saying it strongly rejects the attempts to "annex" Palestinian land.
"The Ministry emphasized that the occupied Palestinian territories in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, constitute a single geographic unit over which Israel has no sovereignty," it said in a statement.
Regional condemnations pour in
On the regional level, Jordan issued a statement condemning the Israeli approval of the two legislations, describing them as violations of international law.
Jordan
The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the move as a flagrant violation of international law, warning that it undermines the "two-state solution" and the Palestinian people's right to an independent state based on the 1967 borders with the eastern part of occupied al-Quds as its capital.
Ministry Spokesperson Fuad Majali affirmed Jordan's absolute rejection and condemnation of any Israeli attempts to impose sovereignty over the occupied West Bank. He stated this violates international law and UN resolutions, specifically citing Resolution 2334, which condemns Israeli measures to alter the demographic composition and status of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including the eastern part of al-Quds.
The spokesperson further cited the International Court of Justice's advisory opinion on the illegality of the occupation and its settlement activities, warning that the continuation of these unilateral Israeli measures, which violate international law and infringe upon holy sites in al-Quds, is both illegitimate and invalid.
Qatar
Meanwhile, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a statement on X, condemning in the strongest terms the Israeli parliament's approval of the two laws seeking to impose Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank and a settlement.
The statement characterized the Israeli decision as a blatant violation of the Palestinian people's historical rights, as well as a direct challenge to both international law and resolutions relevant to the issue.
The Qatari Ministry called the international community, and specifically the United Nations Security Council, to fulfill their legal and moral obligations and take urgent action to stop Israeli authorities from proceeding with their expansionist plans and illegal settlements in the West Bank.
Concluding its statement, the Ministry affirmed its solidarity with the Palestinian cause, based on international legitimacy resolutions and the "two-state solution".
Saudi Arabia
The Saudi Foreign Ministry expressed the kingdom’s “complete rejection of all settlement and expansionist violations carried out by the Israeli occupation authorities.”
It reiterated support for the Palestinian people’s “inalienable and historical right to establish an independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital in accordance with relevant international legitimacy resolutions.”
Kuwait
Kuwait also strongly condemned the Israeli Knesset’s decision, which is a "clear violation of international law that delegitimizes Israeli settlements," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
It reiterated the call upon the international community to assume its role in "stopping those illegal practices and the occupation’s expansion ambitions which obstruct chances for peace and the two-state solution."
Furthermore, it stressed Kuwait’s unwavering stance in support of Palestinians’ rights, including the "establishment of their independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital."
