Jerusalem: The Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation strongly condemned the continuation of Israeli annexation and settlement schemes in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly the 'E1' settlement scheme and the forced displacement of the Bedouin community of 'Al-Khan al-Ahmar' east of occupied Jerusalem.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the heads of the three organizations reaffirmed their rejection of these measures, asserting that Israel's settlement policy violates international law and relevant United Nations resolutions. They also denounced Israel's actions as a violation of the basic rights and freedoms of the Palestinian people, including the operation of an apartheid system that discriminates based on race and religion.
The organizations called on the international community to assume its legal and political responsibilities, urging effective steps to provide international protection for the Palestinian people. They emphasized the need to halt Israeli policies based on annexation, displacement, siege, and colonial settlement, which are seen as ethnic cleansing and war crimes under international law. These actions, they argued, threaten to undermine peace prospects based on a two-state solution and violate the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Additionally, the heads of the organizations condemned illegal measures by Israeli authorities against international non-governmental organizations, including unlawful laws, refusal to register, criminalization of activities, confiscation of property, and targeting of staff. These actions, they stated, violate international humanitarian law and the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice concerning Israel's obligations in relation to the presence and activities of the UN and other international organizations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
They emphasized the role of international non-governmental organizations and specialized United Nations agencies, particularly UNRWA, as crucial to the humanitarian response and key partners in providing relief, early recovery, development, and reconstruction services.
The organizations called on Israeli authorities to lift all restrictions on international non-governmental organizations and to respect and protect all United Nations agency staff and their operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. They also urged the international community to pressure Israel to cease misappropriating financial resources due to the State of Palestine and to release all unlawfully withheld tax funds, enabling the Palestinian government to fulfill its duties and strengthen the resilience of the Palestinian people on their land.