Eight Muslim Nations Condemn Israeli Ministers' Calls for Palestinian Expulsion from Gaza

Foreign ministers from eight Arab and Muslim-majority countries issued a joint statement on Sunday strongly condemning remarks by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Defense Minister Israel Katz. The ministers, representing Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt, stated that Israeli "statements and proposals include plans and mechanisms aimed at expelling Palestinians from their land."

They asserted that these statements violate international law, including humanitarian law, and pose a direct threat to the rights of the Palestinian people. The joint declaration emphasized the eight nations' opposition to any attempt to displace Palestinians, regardless of how such actions are termed or justified. They warned that encouraging emigration or taking practical steps to expel Palestinians would directly challenge international efforts for peace, including a U.S. plan to end the Gaza war, which they claim includes absolute opposition to forced expulsion.

The ministers further argued that implementing such plans could severely harm regional stability. They reiterated that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the "occupied Palestinian territory," stressing the need for territorial unity with the West Bank and East Jerusalem. According to the statement, the sole path to a just and stable peace is the implementation of a two-state solution, establishing an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international resolutions.

Finally, the foreign ministers called on the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to act decisively against any attempts to impose demographic or geographic changes in the Palestinian territories. They reaffirmed their support for the Palestinian people's "steadfastness on their land" and their opposition to any measures aimed at erasing the Palestinian issue or infringing upon Palestinian rights.