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Iraq: Israel's West Bank annexation bills 'flagrant violation' of international law

Iran Press TV

Friday, 24 October 2025 2:12 PM

Iraq has denounced Israel's advancement of legislation to annex the occupied West Bank, saying the parliamentary approval constitutes a "flagrant violation of international law."

Israel's Knesset on Wednesday gave preliminary approval to a bill that would apply the usurping entity's law to all West Bank settlements, as well as another, more limited bill to annex the Maale Adumim settlement. The bills must still pass three additional votes in the plenum to turn into law.

In a statement on Friday, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said it "strongly condemns the Knesset's approval of two draft laws aimed at imposing sovereignty over the occupied West Bank and illegal settlements."

According to the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA), the ministry added that the approval of the two bills constitutes a "blatant breach of international law and a direct assault on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people."

It warned that such "expansionist measures" would undermine stability and entrench the reality of occupation and settlement while posing a threat to peace and security across the region.

The ministry emphasized that the international community should bear its "legal and humanitarian" responsibilities and take a firm stand in opposition to Israel's aggressive and expansionist policies toward the people of Palestine.

The legislation, introduced by opposition lawmakers outside Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, coincided with US Vice President JD Vance's visit to occupied al-Quds.

It also came less than a month after US President Donald Trump declared on September 26 that he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas condemned the Israeli parliament's initial nod to annex the occupied West Bank, saying the move reflects the ugly face of the Tel Aviv regime's colonization of Palestinian land.

The resistance group said the move shows that Israel is continuing its efforts to "legalize" settlements and impose its "sovereignty" over the occupied Palestinian territories, in a stark violation of international law and resolutions.

In July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an advisory opinion stating that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories was "unlawful" and must end as soon as possible.