The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday issued a sharply worded condemnation of statements by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state, alongside the announcement of an Israeli government plan to expand and build new communities in Judea and Samaria.
In its statement, the ministry described the settlement plans as a blatant violation of international law and international humanitarian law, saying the moves undermine what it called the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent, sovereign state on the lines of June 4, 1967, with eastern Jerusalem as its capital. The ministry asserted that Israel holds no sovereignty over the territories captured in 1967.
Ministry spokesman Ambassador Fouad al-Majali said Jordan rejects and strongly condemns the Israeli government's continued settlement policies in Judea and Samaria, as well as remarks by Israeli officials that Amman views as entrenching what it called "occupation and settlement expansion." He referenced UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which criticizes Israeli measures that alter the demographic or territorial character of land captured in 1967, including eastern Jerusalem, and cited an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice regarding the legality of Israeli control and settlement building.
Majali called on the international community to assume what he termed its legal and moral responsibilities by pressing Israel to halt what he described as dangerous unilateral actions in the area. He said international efforts must ensure Palestinian rights, including the establishment of an independent state, which he argued is essential for achieving what Jordan considers a just and comprehensive peace and regional stability.