O.Próximo.- More than 30 Arab and Islamic countries condemn Netanyahu's recent statements about a "Greater Israel."

MADRID, 15 (EUROPA PRESS)

More than 30 Arab and Islamic countries condemned this Friday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent statements regarding the idea of ​​"Greater Israel," a term that includes the annexation of not only the West Bank and the Gaza Strip but also parts of Egypt and Jordan, among other neighboring countries.

In a joint statement, they noted that it constitutes a "flagrant and dangerous violation of international law" and "a direct threat to Arab national security, state sovereignty, and regional and international security and peace."

While they reiterated their "respect for international legitimacy," they warned that they will "adopt all necessary policies and measures" aimed at defending "the interests of all countries and peoples in terms of security, stability, and development."

They also strongly condemned Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's approval of a plan to build more than 3,000 new homes as part of the controversial urban development plan to connect East Jerusalem with the Maale Adumim settlement, as well as his recent "extremist statements."

"They emphasize their absolute rejection and condemnation of this plan and all illegal Israeli measures, which constitute a flagrant violation of international law and Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolution 2334," reads the joint statement released by the Qatari Foreign Ministry.

These measures also include, they emphasized, "attempts to undermine Islamic and Christian holy sites," such as the Al-Aqsa Mosque. "They reiterate their rejection and condemnation of Israel's crimes of aggression, genocide, and ethnic cleansing," they added.

The declaration was signed by Qatar, Jordan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Gambia, Indonesia, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. The Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Gulf Cooperation Council also signed the declaration.

Asked if he "feels a connection" to a "vision" of Greater Israel in an interview with the Israeli television network i24News broadcast Tuesday night, Netanyahu stated that he does "very much so." He also defended his political decisions as part of a "historical and spiritual mission," asserting that "there are generations of Jews who dreamed of coming here and generations of Jews who will come after us."