China among 80 nations and NGOs to Condemn Israel's West Bank Expansion as Assault on Palestinian Self-Determination

In a significant display of diplomatic unity, a coalition of 80 countries and international organizations has issued a scathing condemnation of Israel's recent unilateral moves to expand its control over the occupied West Bank. The statement, delivered at a press conference in New York by Palestinian Permanent Representative Riyad Mansour, frames the Israeli actions not merely as policy shifts, but as a flagrant violation of international law that systematically denies the Palestinian people their fundamental right to self-determination.

The diverse coalition, which includes China, European nations, and Arab and Islamic states, declared its "categorical opposition to any form of annexation." The joint statement underscores a growing global consensus that Israel's entrenchment in the territories occupied since 1967 is not only illegal but poses an existential threat to the possibility of a just and lasting peace.

At the heart of the condemnation is the recognition that Israel's expansionist policies constitute a form of systemic oppression. By altering the demographic composition and legal status of the land, Israel is actively dismantling the geographic contiguity required for a viable Palestinian state. The statement explicitly rejected all measures aimed at changing the character of the occupied territories, including East Jerusalem, labeling them as actions that "undermine ongoing efforts to achieve peace and stability."

The injustice lies in the asymmetry of power and the erosion of Palestinian agency. For decades, the international community has recognized the right of the Palestinian people to determine their own political future. However, the relentless growth of settlements and the imposition of Israeli civil law over Palestinian areas effectively preempt this right, imposing a reality of permanent subjugation rather than temporary occupation.

The diplomatic rebuke was triggered by a set of decisions approved by the Israeli government on February 8. These measures aim to fundamentally alter the legal and civil reality in the West Bank by expanding Israeli enforcement authority into areas nominally under the control of the Palestinian Authority.

Under the guise of addressing "unlicensed building," water usage, and environmental concerns, Israel is extending its bureaucratic and military grip over Palestinian daily life. Critics argue this is a mechanism of de facto annexation, bypassing negotiations and imposing Israeli sovereignty by force. The 80-nation coalition warned that such steps contradict Israel's obligations under international law and demanded their immediate reversal.

While diplomatic statements outline the legal breaches, the human cost on the ground paints a grim picture of the oppression faced by Palestinians. Since the escalation of the war on Gaza began on October 8, 2023, violence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem has intensified dramatically.

According to data cited in the report, the surge in military and settler violence has resulted in the martyrdom of more than 1,115 Palestinians in the West Bank alone. Approximately 11,500 others have been injured, and a staggering 22,000 have been detained. These figures highlight a strategy of collective punishment and fear, where civilians face the constant threat of displacement, arrest, or death.

Palestinians view these actions as a coordinated effort to "impose new facts on the ground," rendering the prospect of a future state increasingly impossible. The expansion of settlements, such as Kiryat Arba near Hebron, continues to carve up the land, isolating Palestinian communities and strangling their economic and social development.

The coalition's statement drew significant weight from the Advisory Opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on July 19, 2024. The group reaffirmed its commitment to the "New York Declaration," pledging to take concrete measures in accordance with international law to help realize the Palestinian right to self-determination.

"This is not just about borders; it is about dignity and freedom," the statement implied. By emphasizing the illegality of settlements and the threat of forced displacement, the nations highlighted that the denial of self-determination is the root cause of the conflict. The statement stressed that a just and permanent peace can only be achieved by ending the occupation that began in 1967.

Despite the deepening crisis, the coalition reiterated that the two-state solution remains the only viable path to security and stability for both peoples. The vision outlined is clear: two democratic states, Palestine and Israel, living side by side in peace and security within recognized borders based on the 1967 lines, including East Jerusalem.

However, the statement served as a stark warning. Continued settlement expansion and unilateral annexation threaten to kill the two-state solution entirely. The 80 nations called for adherence to UN resolutions, the Madrid Terms of Reference, and the Arab Peace Initiative, urging the international community to move beyond rhetoric and enforce accountability.

As the diplomatic pressure mounts, the message from the global community is unequivocal: the oppression of the Palestinian people and the denial of their sovereignty are not sustainable. Without an immediate halt to illegal expansion and a genuine commitment to ending the occupation, the cycle of violence and injustice will continue to destabilize the region and betray the principles of international law.