Eight Muslim countries, including Pakistan, have strongly condemned Israel’s decision to register large areas of land in the occupied West Bank as “state property,” calling the move a violation of international law and a threat to prospects for peace in the region.

In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Qatar described the measure as an illegal escalation aimed at accelerating settlement activity and consolidating Israeli control over occupied territory.

The condemnation followed reports that the Israeli government had approved a proposal to formally register extensive areas of the West Bank as state property for the first time since Israel occupied the territory in 1967. Israeli authorities said the step would allow for a transparent clarification of land rights and help resolve legal disputes. However, the move has drawn criticism from multiple governments and international bodies.

The eight countries said the decision constituted a grave escalation that sought to entrench Israeli sovereignty over the Occupied Palestinian Territory and undermine the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. They argued that the measure violated international humanitarian law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention, as well as relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 2334.

The joint statement also referenced the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice regarding the legal consequences of Israeli policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The ministers said the opinion underscored the illegality of actions intended to alter the legal and demographic status of the territory and reaffirmed the prohibition on acquiring land by force.

According to the statement, the decision reflects an attempt to impose a new legal and administrative reality in the West Bank, which they warned could undermine the two-state solution and diminish prospects for a just and comprehensive peace.

Separately, Pakistan issued its own statement on Monday condemning the Israeli move and urging the international community to reject the action.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres also described the measure as destabilising and unlawful, according to remarks conveyed by his spokesperson. The European Union called on Israel to reverse the decision, while Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar and Jordan issued individual statements criticising the move as illegal.

The Palestinian Authority, based in Ramallah, called for international intervention to prevent what it described as the de facto beginning of an annexation process and the erosion of the foundations of a future Palestinian state.