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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, ����ֱ�� and more than a dozen other Muslim states on Thursday condemned a set of Israeli bills that called for the annexation of the occupied West Bank, they said in a joint statement, calling for world action over the Israeli unlawful measures.

The development came a day after far-right politicians in the Israeli Knesset gave preliminary approval to bills applying Israeli law in the occupied West Bank, which the Palestinians claim as part of a future independent state, and Israeli illegal colonial settlements.

Pakistan, ����ֱ��, Jordan, Indonesia, Türkiye, Djibouti, Oman, Gambia, Palestine, Qatar, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Egypt, Nigeria, the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), condemned the Israeli move as a “blatant violation of international law.”

In a joint statement The Arab and Muslim states denounced all Israeli measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character, and status of the occupied Palestinian territory since 1967, including East Jerusalem, citing an International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion that affirmed the illegality of the Israeli settlement construction and annexation measures.

“They reaffirm that Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory,” read the joint statement shared by Pakistan’s foreign ministry.

The vote, which came a month after United States President Donald Trump stated he would not allow Israel to annex the occupied West Bank, was held during a visit by US Vice President JD Vance to Israel to shore up the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

US President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Israel over annexing the West Bank in an interview published Thursday. The remarks were made to Time magazine by telephone on October 15, days after the Gaza truce plan he spearheaded took effect.

“It won’t happen,” Trump said when asked about calls in Israel to annex the Palestinian West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967. “It won’t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries.”

“Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened,” he added.

In their joint statement, the Arab and Muslim states welcomed an advisory opinion of the ICJ of October 22, reaffirming Israel’s obligation under international humanitarian law to ensure that the population of the occupied Palestinian territories, including Gaza, has essential supplies of daily life, and to agree to and facilitate relief schemes, including through the United Nations and its entities, particularly the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

Israel has not allowed UNRWA to bring in its supplies since March. But the agency continues to operate in Gaza, running health centers, mobile medical teams, sanitation services and school classes for children. It says it has 6,000 trucks of supplies waiting to get in.

The Arab and Muslim states warned against Israel’s unilateral actions and illegal policies and urged world powers to stop its “unlawful measures in the occupied Palestinian territory.”

“They warn against the continuation of Israel’s unilateral and illegal policies and practices and call on the international community to shoulder its legal and moral responsibilities and to compel Israel to cease its dangerous escalation and unlawful measures in the occupied Palestinian territory, and to uphold the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to establish their independent and sovereign state on the lines of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” the joint statement said.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army chief is in Egypt where he held meetings with top defense and military officials to enhance bilateral military cooperation, Pakistani military’s media wing said on Thursday, with talks between both sides focusing on regional security and matters of mutual interest. 

Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir met Egypt’s Minister of Defense General Abdul Maged Sagar and the chief of staff of the country’s armed forces, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Khalifa Fatehi, during his visit, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. 

The Pakistani army chief described Egypt as a brotherly country, adding that cooperation between both states would not only benefit their people will also lead to peace and stability in the region. 

“The visit is aimed at enhancing military cooperation and defense collaboration between the two brotherly countries,” the ISPR said. 

Munir was presented with the guard of honor when he arrived at the Ministry of Defense in Egypt, the military’s media wing said. He also laid a floral wreath at the ‘Memorial of Unknown Soldier’ and the grave of former Egyptian president Mohamed Anwar Al Sadat.

The Pakistani army chief also met Sheikh Ahmed El Tayab, the grand imam of the Al Azhar institute, during which the imam shared his views on the challenges faced by the Muslim world. 

“The COAS highlighted the need to eradicate extremist ideologies and contorted interpretations of Islam,” the ISPR concluded. 

Pakistan and Egypt have cordial ties and both countries have resolved in recent years to facilitate businessmen with visas, exchange trade-related information and promote private-sector contacts.

Military and defense officials of the two countries regularly hold meetings to review the regional security situation. Pakistan’s chairman joint chiefs of staff committee, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, visited Egypt in July this year for the third round of defense and security talks between the two countries.

In July also, senior officials from both countries discussed enhancing bilateral cooperation in agriculture, food security and farming, with Islamabad expressing interest in learning from Cairo’s successful experiences in these areas.