The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has strongly condemned recent calls by an Israeli minister to expand illegal settlements and annex large parts of the occupied West Bank. GCC Secretary-General Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi described the remarks as "dangerous and suspicious," warning that such actions only worsen instability across the Middle East.
During a press conference in Jerusalem, Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich displayed a map outlining plans that leave out only a handful of major Palestinian cities such as Ramallah and Nablus. This proposal, seen as an attempt to legitimize annexation, has sparked renewed fears about the erasure of Palestinian land and identity.
Al-Budaiwi stressed that settlement expansion and annexation undermine peace prospects, defy international law, and violate long-standing global agreements. He emphasized that such policies reflect Israel's systematic approach to destabilizing the region while denying Palestinians their fundamental rights and freedoms.
The GCC chief urged the international community to take "immediate and deterrent measures" against Israeli provocations. He called on world powers, the United Nations, and regional actors to stop these policies before they cause further escalation and conflict.
Reaffirming the GCC's position, Al-Budaiwi highlighted the council's firm support for the Palestinian people. He underlined that Palestinians have the right to resist occupation and preserve their land against illegal attempts to seize it.
The GCC reiterated its vision for lasting peace: the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its rightful capital, ensuring justice, dignity, and security for all Palestinians.
Source: (https://www.arabnews.com/node/2614004/middle-east)