MUSCAT – The Foreign Ministries of the Sultanate of Oman and 13 other countries, along with major regional organisations, have issued a joint statement expressing strong condemnation and deep concern over remarks made by the United States Ambassador to Israel regarding Israel’s potential control over lands belonging to Arab states, including the occupied West Bank.

The statement was issued by the foreign ministries of Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Palestine, Kuwait and Lebanon, in addition to the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the League of Arab States, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

The ministries expressed their categorical rejection of what they described as ‘dangerous and provocative statements’, stressing that such remarks constitute a flagrant violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, and pose a serious threat to regional security and stability.

According to the joint statement, the ambassador’s comments directly contradict the vision put forward by U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as the comprehensive plan aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza through de-escalation and the creation of a political horizon for a comprehensive settlement that guarantees the Palestinian people the establishment of their independent state.

The ministries emphasised that efforts to legitimise control over the lands of others undermine principles of tolerance and peaceful coexistence, fuel tensions, and amount to incitement rather than contributing to peace.

They reiterated that Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territories or any other occupied Arab lands, firmly rejecting any attempts to annex the West Bank or separate it from the Gaza Strip. The statement also voiced strong opposition to the expansion of settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory and rejected any threats to the sovereignty of Arab states.

The signatories warned that continued expansionist policies and illegal measures would only escalate violence and conflict in the region and undermine prospects for peace. They called for an end to what they described as inciting statements.

The ministries concluded by reaffirming their steadfast commitment to the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, the establishment of an independent state based on the June 4, 1967 lines, and the end of the occupation of all occupied Arab territories.