Indonesian Foreign Ministry Condemns US Ambassador's Statement That Israel May Occupy the West Bank
Jakarta, VIVA – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia has strongly condemned the statement by United States Ambassador Mike Huckabee, who declared that the Israeli occupation of the West Bank constitutes an acceptable course of action.
The statement was issued jointly on Sunday by Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry alongside the foreign ministries of Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine, as well as the secretariats of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the League of Arab States (LAS), and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
“We convey our strong condemnation and deep concern over the statement by the United States Ambassador to Israel, which indicated that Israel’s actions to seize territories belonging to Arab states, including the occupied West Bank, are acceptable,” the joint statement read, as quoted on Sunday, 22 February 2026.
The joint statement affirmed a firm rejection of the remarks, which were deemed dangerous and provocative, constituting a clear violation of the principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, and posing a serious threat to regional security and stability.
The Arab and Muslim nations emphasised that the US Ambassador’s statement supporting the Israeli occupation in fact contradicts the vision articulated by US President Donald Trump and his Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict.
“The plan is founded upon strengthening tolerance and peaceful coexistence, and statements that seek to legitimise the seizure of another party’s land undermine that objective, fuel tensions, and constitute incitement rather than promoting peace,” the joint statement said.
Reiterating their firm rejection of any attempt to annex the West Bank or separate it from the Gaza Strip, the Arab and Muslim nations strongly opposed the expansion of settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and categorically rejected any threat to the sovereignty of Arab states.
“Israel holds no sovereignty whatsoever over the Occupied Palestinian Territories or any other occupied Arab territories,” they stressed.
The ministries further warned that the continuation of expansionist policies and unlawful measures by Israel would only exacerbate violence and conflict in the region and damage the prospects for peace, calling for an end to such inciting statements.