Saudi Arabia strongly condemned today, Thursday, the Israeli occupation authorities' approval of the construction of settlements in the vicinity of the occupied city of Jerusalem, considering it a blatant violation of international law and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the embodiment of their state.

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a press release that these measures constitute a defiance of relevant UN Security Council resolutions, most notably Resolution 2334 (2016), which calls for a halt to settlement activities in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and affirms the illegality of the occupation’s establishment of settlements in territories occupied since 1967.

The statement added that these decisions reflect the continuation of the Israeli occupation government’s illegal expansionist policies, its obstruction of the peace process, and the serious threat they pose to the viability of the two-state solution.

The statement emphasized the necessity of compelling the Israeli occupation to halt its aggression on Gaza and its illegal violations in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The Kingdom reiterated its firm rejection of the Israeli occupation’s policies based on settlement expansion, forced displacement, and the denial of the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights. It called on the international community, particularly the permanent members of the UN Security Council, to take immediate action to stop the Israeli occupation’s crimes against the Palestinian people.