ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday condemned Israel’s move to extend its “so-called sovereignty” over parts of the occupied West Bank, a day after the Knesset advanced two controversial bills that would apply Israeli law to the occupied territory.
In a statement, the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the legislation — which seeks to annex Israeli settlements and parts of the West Bank — represents a “flagrant violation of international law, relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.”
Islamabad said such “provocative and unlawful measures” threaten peace efforts in the region and urged the international community to take “urgent and decisive action” to halt them.
The Foreign Office reaffirmed Pakistan’s steadfast support for the Palestinian cause and its commitment to a two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of Palestine.
Pakistan calls upon the international community to take urgent and decisive action to halt these illegal steps and to hold the Israeli occupying forces accountable for their continued violations of international law.
Pakistan reiterates its commitment to working with regional and international partners to uphold the rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination, and to ensure peace, justice, and dignity for the Palestinians.
US Warns Israel Against Threatening Gaza Peace Deal
The vote in the Israeli parliament, narrowly approved by 25–24, came as US Vice President JD Vance visited Tel Aviv. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party did not back the bill, which was introduced by opposition lawmakers. Another measure to annex the Maale Adumim settlement passed 31–9.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Israel’s annexation efforts “threatening for the peace deal,” warning that such steps and escalating settler violence could derail the fragile Gaza truce brokered by Washington earlier this month. “At this time, it’s something we think might be counterproductive,” Rubio told reporters, though he voiced optimism that the peace process remained “ahead of schedule.”
Global Law and Regional Stability at Stake
The United Nations and most of the international community view the West Bank as occupied territory, rejecting Israel’s claims of legal sovereignty. In 2024, the UN’s top court ruled that Israel’s occupation and settlements in Palestinian lands were illegal and must end “as soon as possible.”
Pakistan’s Foreign Office said it would continue working with regional and global partners to ensure “peace, justice, and dignity” for Palestinians. “Connectivity and cooperation must be built on respect for international law, not on occupation and annexation,” it added.
