RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned Israel’s recognition of illegal settlements in the Occupied West Bank and the establishment of an agency aimed at forcibly displacing Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.
In a statement issued Monday, the ministry reaffirmed its categorical rejection of Israeli violations of international and humanitarian laws in both Gaza and the West Bank.
“Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli occupation authorities' announcement of the establishment of an agency aimed at displacing Palestinians from the Gaza Strip,” the ministry stated.
The Israeli government recently approved the creation of a new agency to oversee what it calls the “voluntary departure” of Palestinians from Gaza, following authorization from the Israeli security cabinet.
Since late 2023, the Israeli military campaign in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 50,000 people and displaced nearly 1.9 million Palestinians internally. The new Israeli agency will reportedly be responsible for relocating Palestinians to unspecified third countries under the supervision of the Ministry of Defense.
Saudi Arabia also condemned Israel’s approval of 13 illegal settler outposts in the West Bank over the weekend, calling the move a step toward formalizing them as colonial settlements.
The Kingdom reiterated that lasting peace can only be achieved through the recognition of Palestinian rights and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
