Nearly 20 nations slam Israel's West Bank moves towards 'de facto annexation'
On Monday, several European and Muslim-majority countries formally condemned Israel's efforts to tighten its grip on the occupied West Bank. The coalition of nations labeled the moves as clear attempts at annexation that deliberately undermine the foundation for a future Palestinian state.
- Economy
- AFP
- Published Date: 11:08 | 23 February 2026
Muslim-majority countries and several European states condemned on Monday Israeli moves to further its control over the occupied West Bank, characterising them as attempts to annex the territory and undermine Palestinian statehood.
Israel's decision to reclassify Palestinian land as Israeli "state land" and to accelerate illegal settlements there "are part of a clear trajectory that aims to change the reality on the ground and to advance unacceptable de facto annexation", the countries said in a joint statement. "Such actions are a deliberate and direct attack on the viability of the Palestinian state and the implementation of the two-state solution."