The sheikh's statement came via a post on the X platform, commenting on the Knesset's overwhelming support for a proposal supporting the annexation of the occupied West Bank.
He added, "The step taken by the Knesset is not only a direct attack on the rights of the Palestinian people, but also a dangerous escalation that undermines the chances of peace, stability, and a negotiated two-state solution, which imposes and protects regional security."
He added, "These unilateral Israeli measures flagrantly violate international law and the ongoing international consensus on the status of the occupied Palestinian territories, including the West Bank."
He called on the international community to "uphold international legitimacy and its resolutions, and take urgent action to halt these violations and prevent the entrenchment of the occupation by force." He also called on the world's nations to "recognize the State of Palestine and condemn and denounce this decision."
Earlier on Wednesday, the Knesset voted in favor of a non-binding motion supporting the annexation of the West Bank, a move observers viewed as a prelude to legitimizing future annexation. This move was expected to be rejected by Arab and international powers, as it constitutes a clear violation of international law.
According to Channel 14, the proposal was submitted by Knesset members Simcha Rothman (Religious Zionism), Limor Son Har-Melech (Jewish Power), and Dan Iluz (Likud). It has a "declaratory" character without binding legal force, but it is viewed as having significant symbolic and historical weight.
Although the Israeli government supports this move, it has not yet officially approved any annexation of parts of the West Bank. In July 2024, the Knesset voted overwhelmingly against the establishment of a Palestinian state.
This final vote comes before the Knesset's three-month summer recess begins on July 27.
The United Nations affirms that Israeli settlements in the occupied territories are "illegal" and warns that they undermine the chances of reaching a political solution based on two states, without so far succeeding in halting these activities.
Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli army and settlers have escalated their attacks in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, resulting in the deaths of at least 1,002 Palestinians and the injury of approximately 7,000 others, according to Palestinian data.
This coincides with a genocidal war waged by Israel in Gaza since October 7, 2023, which has left more than 202,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 9,000 missing, in addition to hundreds of thousands of displaced persons, and a famine that has claimed the lives of many.
Israel has occupied Palestine and territories in Syria and Lebanon for decades, and refuses to withdraw from these areas and establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, along the pre-1967 borders.
