The State of Palestine has issued a forceful rejection of the aggressive campaign by Israeli Cabinet ministers from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party to annex significant portions of the occupied West Bank before the Knesset recesses at the end of the month. This proposed move is viewed by the State of Palestine as an integral and alarming component of Israel’s ongoing actions against the Palestinian people, which it characterizes as an all-out genocidal war.
Should this annexation proceed, Israel would unilaterally assert its sovereignty over vast swathes of Palestinian territory, further solidifying control over illegal settlements. This represents a dangerous attempt to entrench the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories, directly threatening to destroy the identity and heritage of the Palestinian state and irrevocably undermine the prospects for a just and lasting peace.
Ambassador Tamer Almassri has unequivocally reiterated that this proposed annexation constitutes an outrageous escalation of Israel’s systematic violations of international law. Such an act directly disregards the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and sovereignty over their land, rights enshrined in numerous international resolutions and conventions.
International law is clear on the prohibition of the acquisition of territory by force or threat. Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter explicitly states that “All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.” The acquisition of territory through conquest is also explicitly prohibited under customary international law.
Furthermore, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) lists “the transfer, directly or indirectly, by the Occupying Power of parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies” as a war crime. The State of Palestine argues that such an act, if carried out, would indeed constitute a crime falling under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court and poses a severe threat to global peace and security.
For decades, Israel has systematically pursued policies leading to de facto annexation in many parts of the occupied Palestinian territory. This has involved the confiscation or endorsement of confiscation of Palestinian lands and resources, leading to the establishment and expansion of settlements.
As of early 2024, the Israeli settler population in the West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem) had surpassed 517,000, with an additional estimated 220,000 Israeli settlers residing in East Jerusalem. These numbers continue to grow, with reports indicating a nearly 3% increase in the West Bank settler population in 2023 alone. These settlements are often accompanied by the displacement of Palestinian communities, restrictions on Palestinian movement and development, and the exploitation of natural resources.
There are currently over 270 illegal colonies housing approximately 750,000 Israeli settlers across the West Bank. Meanwhile, the Palestinian population in the West Bank is estimated to be over 3.2 million as of mid-2023.
The international community must take immediate and concrete steps to prevent Israel’s annexation of the occupied Palestinian territory. Failure to do so risks complicity, effectively being seen as accepting the Israeli Government’s systematic violation of international law and its ongoing campaign of dispossession, ethnic cleansing, and what the State of Palestine terms, genocide. Diplomatic efforts and decisive actions, including potential sanctions and a clear refusal to recognize any unilateral changes to the pre-1967 borders, are critical to uphold the principles of international law, protect the rights of the Palestinian people, and safeguard the possibility of a two-state solution.
The gravity of the situation demands a unified and resolute response from global actors committed to international peace and justice.
