Regional Outcry Over Israeli Annexation Bills

The Israeli Knesset’s preliminary approval of two bills to impose sovereignty over parts of the occupied West Bank and legalize control of a settlement has prompted swift regional condemnation. The UAE, Jordan, the Muslim Council of Elders and more than a dozen Arab and Muslim states denounced the measures as violations of international law and a threat to the two‑state solution, urging international action. Jordan cited the ICJ advisory opinion and UN Security Council Resolution 2334 in warning that unilateral annexation would undermine Palestinian rights and regional stability. Turkey says it is in talks about joining an international Gaza peacekeeping mission and that its military is “ready” if needed, reflecting heightened regional security concerns. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found 59% of Americans—including 80% of Democrats and 41% of Republicans—support U.S. recognition of Palestinian statehood, while Israeli commentary emphasized Hamas’s rejection of peace and framed the group in terms of violence.