Israeli Government’s decision to expand its powers in the West Bank

The Brazilian Government deplores the measures approved on February 8 by the security cabinet of Israel, which facilitate the acquisition of property by Israeli citizens in the West Bank, State of Palestine, through changes to land registration rules, and grant new administrative and oversight powers to Israeli government agencies. If implemented, these measures will favor the expansion of illegal settlements and contribute to increasing Israel’s interference in the occupied Palestinian territory.

The decision represents a flagrant violation of international law, including resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. It also goes against the advisory opinion of July 19, 2024, of the International Court of Justice, which considered Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful, and affirmed that the country has the obligation to immediately cease new settlement activities and evacuate all residents.

Recalling the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to an independent and sovereign State, Brazil urges Israel to refrain from adopting unilateral actions equivalent to the annexation of occupied Palestinian territory and that threaten a viable implementation of  the two-State solution and the prospects for a fair and lasting peace in the Middle East.