Eight Arab and Islamic nations have issued a strong condemnation of recent statements by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Defense Minister Israel Katz regarding the potential displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.
These nations consider the outlined plans and mechanisms for the forced removal of Gaza's population from their land a flagrant violation of international law and a direct threat to the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. Foreign ministers from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan released a joint statement on Sunday, unequivocally rejecting any schemes aimed at displacing Palestinians, whether within the occupied Palestinian territories or beyond, under any name or pretext.
The ministers cautioned against the dangerous escalation of forced displacement rhetoric from political discourse into official policy or practical measures intended to uproot Palestinians from their homeland. They emphasized that such actions would exacerbate the humanitarian and political crisis in Gaza and undermine prospects for resolving the conflict.
The statement characterized the Israeli statements and proposals concerning displacement as a direct challenge to international peace efforts and a threat to any political path that could lead to regional stability. The ministers underscored that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territory, affirming the necessity of preserving the territorial integrity of Palestine, including Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, and rejecting any attempts to forcibly impose new demographic or geographic realities.
The signatory nations reiterated their view that the two-state solution remains the sole path to achieving a just and lasting peace, envisioning an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with relevant international legitimacy resolutions. In response to escalating Israeli calls for displacement, the ministers urged the international community, particularly the United Nations Security Council, to uphold its responsibilities and act decisively against any attempts to alter the demographic or geographic landscape of the occupied Palestinian territories, ensuring adherence to international law and international humanitarian law.
The eight nations reaffirmed their support for the steadfastness of Palestinians on their land and their rejection of what they described as attempts to erase the Palestinian cause or diminish the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. These positions emerge amid ongoing international debate over the future of the Gaza Strip, with warnings that formalizing displacement as a political option could trigger extensive regional repercussions and further complicate reconstruction efforts or the initiation of a political process to end the conflict.
