Eighty-five United Nations member states have jointly condemned Israel’s plan to expand its occupation and register land in the occupied West Bank. On February 17, Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour issued a joint statement on behalf of the countries, calling Israel’s unilateral decision a violation of international law and demanding its immediate cancellation. The plan involves registering land in Area C, which covers about 60 percent of the West Bank, marking the first such move since 1967.

Countries signing the condemnation include Australia, Canada, China, France, Pakistan, Russia, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, with the European Union and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation also expressing support. UN Secretary-General António Guterres voiced deep concern, warning that the plan could increase the risk of Palestinian displacement and further destabilize the region. He recalled the 2024 International Court of Justice ruling that declared Israel’s presence and settlements in the West Bank illegal.

The report also noted that a 13-year-old Palestinian boy was killed and two others injured by an explosion from leftover Israeli military ordnance in the Jordan Valley. Observers warned that Israel’s expansion plan could endanger the comprehensive peace initiative aimed at halting the Gaza war.