The Arab League issued a strong condemnation on Saturday regarding the intensification of Israeli military and settler violence throughout the occupied West Bank. The statement specifically highlighted actions in the city of Hebron, where authorities are threatening to evict residents from certain neighborhoods and destroy their homes as part of broader policies aimed at altering the demographic and geographic reality of the occupied Palestinian territories.
In a formal statement released by its General Secretariat, the organization asserted that these practices constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law. The League pointed specifically to the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits the forced transfer of populations, collective punishments, and the destruction of property in occupied lands, except under narrow legal exceptions. The statement warned that the implementation of eviction orders and demolition campaigns could amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity, depending on the nature of the acts and the circumstances of their commission.
Furthermore, the Arab League addressed the closure of the Ibrahimi Mosque, describing it as a direct infringement on freedom of worship and religious sanctities. The organization emphasized that obstructing access for worshippers violates the legal obligations incumbent upon Israel as the occupying power. These measures were characterized as attempts to change the character of the land, which do not create any legal rights nor confer legitimacy under international law.
The League expressed deep concern that the continuation of policies involving displacement, destruction, and settlement expansion is exacerbating conditions in the West Bank. It cautioned that such trends threaten to repeat the tragedies associated with the Nakba for the Palestinian people. The organization reiterated that Hebron and the rest of the occupied West Bank are an inseparable part of Palestinian land.
Calling for immediate action, the Arab League urged the international community, particularly the UN Security Council and the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions, to take effective measures to halt these violations. The statement demanded the protection of Palestinian civilians and accountability for those responsible for committing crimes, aiming to end impunity. The League reaffirmed that ending the occupation and enabling the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination and establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital remain the foundations for achieving just and lasting peace.
