Israeli Knesset’s West Bank annexation vote ‘null and void’: Türkiye

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that the motion voted on in the Israeli Knesset (parliament) to annex the occupied West Bank is “null and void” under international law and “has no legal validity.”

It said the West Bank is Palestinian territory and has been under Israeli occupation since 1967, and noted that any attempt by Israel to annex it constitutes an illegitimate and provocative effort aimed at undermining peace efforts.

“The Netanyahu government’s efforts to remain in power through violent policies and unlawful actions are leading to new crises each day, posing a serious threat to international order and regional security,” it said.

It added that binding and deterrent measures must be taken without delay against the aggressiveness of genocidal Israel, and the legal and moral responsibilities of the international system must be fulfilled effectively.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Middle East War.

Since the start of Israel’s most recent genocidal war on the Gaza Strip in late 2023, nearly 1,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 7,000 injured in the occupied territory by Israeli forces and illegal settlers, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

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.​​​​​​​