ISLAMABAD

Pakistan on Thursday strongly condemned the Israeli Knesset’s preliminary passage of two bills to annex the occupied West Bank and the Ma’ale Adumim settlement bloc in East Jerusalem, calling it a violation of international law.

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said these actions constitute a flagrant breach of international law, relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.

"Such provocative and unlawful measures undermine ongoing efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region," the ministry said in a statement.

Islamabad called upon the international community to take urgent and decisive action to halt these illegal steps and to hold the Israeli occupying forces accountable for their continued violations of international law.

The Knesset vote on Wednesday occurred despite opposition from US President Donald Trump, who said last month he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. The vote also came as US Vice President JD Vance is visiting Israel.

Annexing the West Bank would effectively end the possibility of implementing a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as outlined in UN resolutions.

Israeli attacks have escalated across the West Bank since October 2023, killing more than 1,056 Palestinians, injuring 10,300, and detaining over 20,000 others, according to Palestinian sources.

In a landmark opinion last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.