Palestine denounces Israeli bid to extend sovereignty to occupied West Bank

The Palestinian government has condemned an Israeli bill to apply domestic law to parts of the occupied West Bank, calling the move illegal under international law and a threat to Palestinian sovereignty.

The State of Palestine said on Thursday that Israel holds no legal sovereignty over any part of the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza, which it described as “an indivisible geographical whole.”

The remarks came in response to a bill passed in preliminary reading by the Israeli Knesset on 22 October, which seeks to extend Israeli law to areas of the West Bank — a step many see as de facto annexation. The measure passed by a narrow 25–24 margin and must clear three more readings before becoming law.

Palestinian officials said the proposal violates international law and United Nations resolutions, citing the 2024 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice, which reaffirmed the territories' occupied status and stated that Israeli law could not be applied there.

The Palestinian government urged international actors to reject the Knesset decision and form a coalition to oppose what it called “a policy of racial discrimination.” It warned that any unilateral Israeli action would be null and void and would not alter the legal status of the territories.

The statement also referenced the New York Declaration — adopted unanimously by UN member states — as grounds for opposing Israel’s settlement expansion and annexation.

In Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed concerns, saying: “Don’t worry about the West Bank … Israel is not going to do anything with the West Bank.” Speaking during a visit to Israel, U.S. Vice President JD Vance called the Knesset vote “a very stupid political stunt” and reaffirmed that the U.S. opposes any annexation of the territory.

Copied